The 11^th Annual Ross Prize Symposium will be held June 20 in New York City

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research has selected Michelle Monje, MD, PhD, from Stanford University, to receive the 11th annual Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine for her outstanding contributions to research relating to the neuroscience of cancer and its implications for therapy. The prize will be presented on June 20, in conjunction with the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) at Cure on 345 Park Avenue South in Manhattan and will take place as part of a half-day research symposium. To register for the event (in person or virtual), click here.

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Michelle Monje, MD, PhD is the recipient of the 11th annual 2024 Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine (Credit: Alison Yip, AP images for HHMI)

The Ross Prize is made possible by the generosity of Feinstein Institutes board vice chairman Jack Ross and his wife, Robin, assistant vice president of principal gifts at the Northwell Health Foundation. Established in 2013, the Ross Prize is awarded annually through the Feinstein Institutes' peer-reviewed, open-access journal Molecular Medicine. The prize includes a $50,000 award for the recipient and is given to investigators whose research shows high potential for transforming how we treat and cure disease.

Ross Prize recipients continue to make breakthroughs in their respective fields. Helen H. Hobbs, MD, and Jonathan C. Cohen, PhD, received the 2023 Ross Prize – they were the first to discover the genetic cause of fatty liver disease and their work led to a new class of drugs that lower cholesterol. Ross Prize 2022 recipients Katalin Karikó, PhD, and Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, were awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking messenger RNA (mRNA) research that helped develop COVID-19 vaccines.

“A pioneer in oncology and neuroscience, Dr. Monje’s work has revealed fundamental new insights into tumors of the central nervous system,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes, Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research and editor emeritus of Molecular Medicine. “The Ross Prize recognizes the significance and importance of her research in this new field of cancer neuroscience.”

Dr. Monje's research focuses on the connections between brain science, immune system function, and brain cancer, specifically how brain cells (neurons) and support cells (glia) interact in healthy and disease conditions. In her lab, she studies how the activity of neurons affects the growth of healthy glial cells and the production of new protective cells (myelin) in the brain. Changes in this myelin can lead to cognitive problems, such as those seen in cancer therapy-related cognitive impairment. Additionally, her lab has found that the activity of neurons can also speed up the growth of malignant brain tumors through chemical signals and direct electrical connections between neurons and tumor cells.

"My research dives into the intricate crossroads of neuroscience, immunology and brain cancer biology, highlighting the pivotal role of neuron-glial interactions in both health and oncological conditions," said Dr. Monje, Milan Gambhir Professor of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology in the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. "I am grateful for the Ross Prize, which will enable me to advance our understanding of the complex cellular interactions important for healthy brain functions and hopefully find new therapies to treat brain cancers and the cognitive impairment that can result from cancer chemotherapy."

During the event, after a brief award presentation, Dr. Monje will deliver a keynote address discussing her research. Throughout the day, renowned scientists who will share their research include:

• David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD, Washington University in St. Louis
• Shawn Hervey-Jumper, MD, University of California, San Francisco
• Mario Suva, MD, PhD, Harvard University & Mass General Hospital

“Robin and I founded the Ross Prize to advance research towards transformative medical therapies," stated Jack Ross. “We are privileged to have supported the outstanding scientific talent acknowledged by the prize for more than a decade.”

To learn more about the Ross Prize celebration and symposium, please visit: Northwell.edu/RossPrize. If you would like to nominate a candidate for the 2025 Ross Prize, please make a submission here.

Past recipients of the Ross Prize are: Helen H. Hobbs, MD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, director of the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Jonathan C. Cohen, PhD, professor of Internal Medicine, Center for Human Nutrition and Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development; Katalin Karikó, PhD, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine adjunct professor and senior vice president at BioNTech and Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Roberts Family Professor of Vaccine Research; Adrian R. Krainer, PhD, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory professor; Daniel Kastner, MD, PhD, the National Institutes of Health’s National Human Genome Research Institute scientific director; Huda Y. Zoghbi, MD, professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular and Human Genetics, Neurology and Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine; Jeffrey V. Ravetch, MD, PhD, the Theresa and Eugene M. Lang Professor and head of the Leonard Wagner Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Immunology at The Rockefeller University; Charles N. Serhan, PhD, DSc, director of the Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Simon Gelman Professor of Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School and professor at Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Lewis C. Cantley, PhD, the Meyer Director of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian Hospital; John J. O'Shea, MD, scientific director at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; and Dan R. Littman, MD, PhD, the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Professor of Molecular Immunology in the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine at New York University School of Medicine.

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its five institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Molecular Medicine

Molecular Medicine sits at the forefront of its field, rapidly disseminating discovery in the genetic, molecular, and cellular basis of physiology and disease across a broad range of specialties. With over two decades of experience publishing to a multidisciplinary audience, and continually celebrating innovation through the ‘Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine’ and ‘Anthony Cerami Award in Translational Medicine,’ the journal strives towards the design of better molecular tools for disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Molecular Medicine is published by BMC, part of Springer/Nature, in partnership with The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.

About the New York Academy of Sciences

The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science for the benefit of society. With more than 20,000 Members in 100 countries, the Academy advances scientific and technical knowledge, addresses global challenges with science-based solutions, and sponsors a wide variety of educational initiatives at all levels for STEM and STEM related fields. The Academy hosts programs and publishes content in the life and physical sciences, the social sciences, nutrition, artificial intelligence, computer science, and sustainability. The Academy also provides professional and educational resources for researchers across all phases of their careers. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org.

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