Call for Nominations: HFSP Nakasone Award 2024

The HFSP Nakasone Award is an annual award for ground-breaking contributions or breakthrough discoveries in the life sciences which rewards achievements in scientific excellence resulting in a particular discovery that has moved the frontiers of knowledge in biology.

The award recognizes the vision of former Prime Minister Nakasone of Japan in creating the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) whose mission is “to promote, through international cooperation, basic research focused on the elucidation of the sophisticated and complex mechanisms of living organisms.” Likewise, HFSP is committed to diversity and inclusion and especially seeks nominations of scientists that advance greater equity and inclusion in the global scientific enterprise.

Scientific Merit

• The award is given for scientific excellence of a clearly defined discovery or series of discoveries in basic life science research that dates back not more than 10 years, and that is in accord with HFSP’s mission to support basic research into the “complex mechanisms of living organisms.”
• The 10 year period following the discovery should be evident from publications that are listed in the nomination document. The HFSP Nakasone Award seeks to reward a distinct breakthrough and is not meant to be a lifetime achievement award.
• Areas have traditionally ranged from molecular and cellular approaches to biological functions to systems neuroscience including cognitive functions. However, all levels of complexity involving mechanisms of biological phenomena or the interactions between organisms themselves and with the environment will be considered.
• The discovery or discoveries shall:
  • be frontier contributions to knowledge in the life sciences dating back no longer than 10 years;
  • have resulted in a notable conceptual breakthrough that has had significant consequences for scientists throughout the world;
  • be identifiable via (a) specific publication(s);
  • Experimental, conceptual and technological contributions are all eligible.

Benefit

• The winner(s) will receive a small unrestricted research grant of 15,000 USD, a commemorative medal, a certificate and will deliver the HFSP Nakasone Lecture at the 2024 HFSP Awardees Meeting.

Nominations & Criteria

• Any scientist interested in HFSP is welcome to respond to the open call and nominate candidates for the HFSP Nakasone Award. Both the nominator(s) and the nominee(s) may be from any country. HFSP is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and particularly encourages nominations of scientists who are women, early career researchers, individuals who are ethnically and/or racially under-represented in the scientific enterprise, and those who hail from equity-seeking countries.
• A nomination may be for a single person, or up to two scientists for the same award. These scientists should be co-authors on breakthrough publications or collaborators of key discoveries. Coordinated, multiple nominations for a candidate(s) will be considered as a single nomination and will be merged for the purpose of the review. Self-nominations are not accepted. Members of the HFSPO Board of Trustees and Council of Scientists (COS) are not eligible for nomination and may not nominate candidates to avoid the perception of conflict of interest.

Selection Procedure

• The Council of Scientists is responsible for selecting the HFSP Nakasone Award winner(s and recommending the annual winner(s) to the HFSPO Board of Trustees, which is ultimately responsible for approving the award. The selection process is as follows:
  • Council members receive all nominations and conduct an initial assessment. Members are briefed about HFSPO’s rules and regulations in guiding their initial decision making. Each Councillor can recommend six nominations for further consideration.
  • A first ranking is established based on the number of times a nomination is listed by Council members. This initial ranking enables the Council to further consider nominations for female scientists or for scientists from countries that previously have been under-represented in the HFSP Nakasone Award.
  • The Chair and Vice Chairs of the Council then decide on a short list that determines the number of nominations for the final assessment.
  • Nominations are then assigned to two members of the Council for a final evaluation. Members are asked to prepare short written comments to support their evaluation.
  • At the annual meeting, Council rapporteurs present their assigned nominations by highlighting the scientific merits as outlined in the call for nominations.
  • A member of the HFSPO Board of Trustees follows the discussion of the Council as an independent ex officio observer.
  • Following discussion, Council members vote on all shortlisted nominations. The nomination with the highest number of votes is declared the winner(s).
  • The Secretariat, on behalf of the Council Chair, then prepares a recommendation of the winner (s), including a written statement by the observer, which is submitted for approval by the Board of Trustees.

For more information, visit HFSP Nakasone Award.