Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research Issues 2015 Call for Nominations

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Jan. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research today opens its 2015 call for nominations. This prestigious award recognizes individuals whose scientific research has made, or has the potential to make, significant contributions toward the improvement of human health. Nominations will be accepted until March 15, 2015 at www.pauljanssenaward.com for consideration by an independent selection committee of world renowned scientists. Beginning in 2015, the cash prize awarded to the scientist or group of scientists receiving the Award will be increased to $200,000. This increase in the monetary award reflects the growing importance of basic biomedical research, and continued recognition by Johnson & Johnson of excellence in the field.

The Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research honors Dr. Paul Janssen (1926-2003), who is widely recognized as one of the most productive scientists of the 20th century. Known throughout the scientific community as "Dr. Paul," Janssen was responsible for breakthrough treatments in disease areas including pain management, psychiatry, infectious disease and gastroenterology, and founded Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V., a Johnson & Johnson Company.

"Innovative science and technology have the power to transform the world," said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson. "Through the Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research, Johnson & Johnson honors the inspirational legacy of Dr. Paul and applauds today's researchers whose discoveries have the potential to transform the future of human health."

In 2014, the Award was presented to Drs. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna, whose collaboration led to the discovery of a new method for precisely manipulating genetic information in ways that should produce new insights in health and disease, and may lead to the discovery of new targets for drug development. Drs. Charpentier and Doudna went on to win the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. Other laureates of the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences included Drs. Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, winners of the 2012 Dr. Paul Janssen Award.

"As in past years, we look forward to selecting a 2015 Dr. Paul Janssen Award winner(s) from among the nominations of worthy individuals in research institutions and companies around the world, whose research has significantly improved human health," said Craig Mello, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and Professor, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, and 2015 chair of the Dr. Paul Janssen Award Selection Committee.

Previous Award winners include David Julius, Ph.D., University of California San Francisco; Victor Ambros, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Medical School; Gary Ruvkun, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Napoleone Ferrara, M.D., Genentech Fellow; Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Erik De Clercq, M.D., Ph.D., chairman, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School at the Catholic University of Leuven; Axel Ullrich, Ph.D., director, Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Germany; Professor Marc Feldmann, FMedSci, FAA, FRS, and Emeritus Professor Sir Ravinder Maini, FRCP, FMedSci, FRS, of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Imperial College London; and Craig Mello, Ph.D., Nobel Laureate, of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and University of Massachusetts Medical School.

The 2015 Dr. Paul Janssen Award winner will be announced in spring 2015.

About The Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research
Established by Johnson & Johnson, The Dr. Paul Janssen Award salutes the most passionate and creative scientists in basic or clinical research whose scientific achievements have made, or have strong potential to make, a measurable impact on human health. The Dr. Paul Janssen Award is named for Dr. Paul Janssen, who founded Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V. in 1953. Known to his colleagues as "Dr. Paul," Janssen was one of the 20th century's most gifted and passionate researchers, a physician-scientist who helped save millions of lives through his contribution to the discovery and development of more than 80 medicines, four of which remain on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines. In 1961, Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V. joined the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. Janssen's legacy continues to inspire Johnson & Johnson and its commitment to finding innovative cures for unmet medical needs. Visit www.pauljanssenaward.com for more information.

About Johnson & Johnson
Caring for the world, one person at a time...inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson JNJ. We embrace research and science – bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people. Our approximately 126,500 employees at more than 250 Johnson & Johnson companies work with partners in healthcare to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world.

Press Contacts:

Seema Kumar
908-405-1144 (M)
skumar10@its.jnj.com 

Diane Pressman
908-927-6171 (O)
dpressm1@its.jnj.com 

Frederik Wittock
+32 14 60 57 24 (O)
fwittock@its.jnj.com  

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dr-paul-janssen-award-for-biomedical-research-issues-2015-call-for-nominations-300023375.html

SOURCE Johnson & Johnson