The Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award

The Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award recognizes the outstanding achievements of ASCI members in advancing knowledge in a specific field and in mentoring future generations of life science researchers. The recognition, which was first known as the ASCI Award, was renamed in 2006 in honor of Dr. Stanley J. Korsmeyer, a dedicated and accomplished physician-scientist and mentor who was the first recipient in 1998 and who passed away in 2005. The recipient of the annual Award is provided with a $20,000 honorarium and presents the Korsmeyer Lecture at the Society’s annual meeting.

Award recipients

2022: Peter Tontonoz, MD, PhD

For his contributions to the understanding of the regulatory pathways of lipid metabolism and their effect on normal physiology and metabolic disease. More information

2021: Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD

For his contributions to the understanding of the genetics, biology, and treatment of myeloid malignancies. More information

2020: Judith A. James, MD, PhD

For her contributions to understanding the mechanisms of systemic autoimmune diseases. More information

2019: Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD

For his key contributions to understanding the molecular basis of disease caused by globally emerging RNA viruses. More information

2018: Joseph Heitman, MD, PhD

For his key contributions to our understanding of how eukaryotic microbial pathogens evolve, cause disease, and develop drug resistance; and his discovery of TOR and FKBP12 as targets of the immunosuppressive chemotherapeutic drug rapamycin. More information

2017: James E. Crowe Jr., MD

For his research leading to the development of innovative technologies for the isolation and study of antiviral antibodies and for significantly advancing the fields of virology and immunology. More information

2016: Jean-Laurent Casanova, MD, PhD

For his discovery that single-gene inborn errors of immunity can underlie life-threatening infectious diseases in otherwise healthy children and young adults. More information

2015: Louis J. Ptáček, MD

For research leading to the development of the field of ion channel defects, known commonly as channelopathies. More information

2014: Beth Levine, MD

In recognition of fundamental contributions to our understanding of autophagy. More information

2013: Bruce Beutler, MD

In recognition of his contributions to the field of innate immunity. More information

2012: William G. Kaelin, Jr., MD, and Gregg L. Semenza, MD, PhD

In recognition of their contributions to the molecular understanding of cellular oxygen sensing and cellular adaptation to hypoxia. More information

2011: Brian J. Druker, MD, and Charles L. Sawyers, MD

In recognition of their contributions to the development of novel therapeutics in the treatment of leukemia and other forms of cancer. More information

2010: Andrew R. Marks, MD

In recognition of his discoveries that rapamycin inhibits coronary artery stent restenosis, and the role of leaky ryanodine receptor/calcium release channels in heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and muscular dystrophy. More information

2009: Mitchell A. Lazar, MD, PhD

For his outstanding contributions to our understanding of the transcriptional regulation of metabolism. More information

2008: Gerald I. Shulman, MD, PhD

For his contributions to furthering our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. More information

2007: D. Gary Gilliland, MD, PhD

For his contributions to the understanding of the genetic basis of human hematological malignancies. More information

2006: Shaun Robert Coughlin, MD, PhD

For his outstanding contributions in the field of signal transduction via thrombin receptors. More information

2005: Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD

For his pioneering efforts in the development of the entire field of human genome research. More information

2004: David Ginsburg, MD

For his contributions to the understanding of the molecular basis of physiologic and pathologic thrombosis and hemostasis. More information

2003: Craig B. Thompson, MD

For his discovery of the critical role costimulatory receptors play in regulating immune responses. More information

2002: Ronald A. DePinho, MD

For fundamental discoveries in cancer research, aging, and chronic degenerative disease. More information

2001: Laurie H. Glimcher, MD

For seminal contributions to our understanding of the transcriptional regulation of lymphocyte subset differentiation.
More information

2000: Christine Edry Seidman, MD

For employing molecular genetic approaches in defining the etiology of inherited human disorders and genetic engineering to produce murine models of human disease, with particular emphasis on heart disease.
More information

Finalists: Jonathan S. Stamler, MD, for elucidating the fundamental role of redox systems in the control of complex physiological responses, using NO-based modification of proteins-in particular S-nitrosylation. Mark T. Keating, MD, for focusing on the molecular genetics of cardiovascular disease, particularly cardiac arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy and obstructive vascular disease.

1999: Richard D. Klausner, MD

For the discovery of key mechanisms that regulate metal metabolism and intracellular trafficking. More information

Finalists: Michael J. Welsh, MD, for discoveries regarding the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis. David E. Clapham, MD, PhD, for discoveries regarding the regulation of membrane ion channels, and the physiologic consequences of intracellular calcium signals.

1998: Stanley J. Korsmeyer, MD

For the identification of key genetic mechanisms that govern cell death and survival. More information

Finalists: Peter Agre, MD, for discoveries regarding the roles of water channels in cell membranes. Arthur Weiss, MD, PhD, for discoveries of key signaling pathways in T lymphocytes.