“The Lasker Awards honor innovations that have advanced knowledge, treatment, or prevention of disease,” said Claire Pomeroy, president of the Lasker Foundation. “Serendipitously, this year’s awardees have all made significant contributions to the field of immunology. The international representation of the 2019 awardees demonstrates the importance of global collaborations and contributions to medical research – from fundamental science to delivery of care.”

 

Press Release

THE LASKER FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES THE 2019 LASKER AWARDS FOR BASIC AND CLINICAL MEDICAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICE

(New York, September 10) The Lasker Foundation today announced the winners of its 2019 Lasker Awards: Max D. Cooper from Emory University and Jacques Miller from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research will receive the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award; H. Michael Shepard, formerly of Genentech, Dennis J. Slamon from the University of California, Los Angeles and Axel Ullrich from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (also formerly of Genentech) will be honored with the Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award; and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance will receive the Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award. Widely regarded as America’s top biomedical research prize, the Lasker Awards carry an honorarium of $250,000 for each category. The awards will be presented on Friday, September 20, in New York City.

Bill Gates on Gavi Receiving Lasker Award

“I’m thrilled that Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has been awarded the Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award in recognition of its life-saving work, protecting more than 700 million of the world’s poorest children from devastating diseases,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “In the span of a single generation, we’ve witnessed the greatest improvements in the human condition – illness and deaths from diseases like polio, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases have plummeted. This remarkable progress wasn’t by luck or chance. It happened because countries committed to support a group of global organizations, including Gavi, to fight diseases which disproportionately affect the poorest people. The world must continue investing in these vital organizations.”

Media contacts

Janet Wootten
Rubenstein Communications
jwootten@rubenstein.com
212-843-8024

Andrea Helling
Rubenstein Communications
ahelling@rubenstein.com
212-843-8025

Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award

Max Cooper and Jacques Miller for their discovery of the two distinct classes of lymphocytes, B and T cells – a monumental achievement that launched the course of modern immunology

Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award

Michael Shepard, Dennis Slamon, and Axel Ullrich for their invention of Herceptin, the first monoclonal antibody that blocks a cancer-causing protein, and for its development as a life-saving cancer therapy

Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance for providing sustained access to childhood vaccines around the globe, saving millions of lives, and for highlighting the power of immunization to prevent disease

The 2019 Lasker Award videos

Learn about the 2019 Lasker laureates and their work.

Learn more about the Basic Award

Learn more about Max D. Cooper

Learn more about Jacques Miller

Learn more about the Clinical Award

Learn more about H. Michael Shepard

Learn more about Dennis Slamon

Learn more about Axel Ullrich

Learn more about Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Download the photos below

Images courtesy of Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation. Click on image to download.

Max D. Cooper

Max D. Cooper

Jacques Miller

H. Michael Shepard

H. Michael Shepard

Dennis J. Slamon

H. Michael Shepard

Axel Ullrich

Axel Ullrich

Gavi Logo

Gavi Logo

Nurse Madeleine Semo vaccinates a young baby at the Ngbaka health centre in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Gavi/Phil Moore

Nurse Madeleine Semo vaccinates a young baby at the Ngbaka health centre in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Gavi/Phil Moore

A health worker and other volunteers provide routine vaccines to the population of a tiny Haitian mountain village clinic called the Community Centre of Taifer. Gavi/Evelyn Hockstein

A health worker and other volunteers provide routine vaccines to the population of a tiny Haitian mountain village clinic called the Community Centre of Taifer. Gavi/Evelyn Hockstein

In Ghana, Dr Seth Berkley delivers rotavirus vaccine which protects against the leading cause of diarrhoea in children under five. Gavi/Olivier Asselin

In Ghana, Dr Seth Berkley delivers rotavirus vaccine which protects against the leading cause of diarrhoea in children under five. Gavi/Olivier Asselin

Dr. Seth Berkley

Dr. Seth Berkley

The Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation logo

The Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation logo

The Albert and Mary Lasker Award Statue

In Ghana, Dr Seth Berkley delivers rotavirus vaccine which protects against the leading cause of diarrhoea in children under five. Gavi/Olivier Asselin