(BPT) - For more than a century, Johnson & Johnson has been synonymous with innovation in science and medicine by moving the needle in building a world where complex diseases are prevented and cured, treatments are smarter, and solutions are personalized and accessible. Inventions like robotic surgery, tissue engineering, and treatments for cancers and HIV have changed the world forever and improved the patient experience and health and care for all.
As an authority on transformative scientific research and discoveries, Johnson & Johnson recognizes the impact scientific research and discoveries can have on the world and is proud to celebrate those innovations - both inside the company and from other scientists around the world - through two awards: the Johnson Medal and the Dr. Paul Janssen Award.
Established in 1960, The Johnson Medal is Johnson & Johnson's most prestigious company-wide honor and celebrates trailblazing innovation in research and development. The Medal is awarded to teams who exemplify excellence through their curiosity, impactful contributions to patients, collaborative spirit, and unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries and making breakthroughs that accelerate science through novel healthcare solutions.
Johnson & Johnson employees who have previously received this honor include:
- Jill Giles-Komar, David Shealy, Jacqueline Benson, Yevgeniya Orlovsky, Jeffrey Luo and Carrie Brodmerkel, the team that developed a treatment for plaque psoriasis which has since been approved for irritable bowel diseases and psoriatic arthritis
- Dr. Assaf Govari, a four-time winner who created several medical technological devices, including an ultrasound that provides real-time, 3D imaging of the inside of the heart
- Jordan Schecter, Arnob Banerjee, Jean Xu, Jennifer Yohrling, Loreta Marquez and Ravi Bhatia for developing J&J's first CAR-T cell therapy for treating multiple myeloma
- Thorsten Siess, Claudia Mourran, Frank Kirchhoff, Jimpo Wang, Scott Corbett, Vincent Roy and Werner Carell who developed the only heart pump to help restore native heart function during surgery or following a heart attack
Passionate and creative scientists are all around us and in an effort to celebrate the impact these gifted researchers can have on transforming human health and inspiring others, Johnson & Johnson also honors a scientist or research team whose achievements have made a measurable impact on health for all with the Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research.
Established in 2004, this award honors the memory of Dr. Paul Janssen, a passionate, prolific scientist and researcher who discovered over 80 treatments - four of which remain on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines - for many illnesses, including infectious diseases, pain, and psychiatric disorder. The Award extends the legacy of its namesake and lauds groundbreaking biomedical researchers outside of Johnson & Johnson who have made "a transformational contribution toward the improvement of human health." More than a third of this award's winners have received a Nobel Prize for their foundational work.
Counted among the award's recipients are:
- Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Dr. Jennifer Doudna for their co-discovery of a new method for precise genetic information manipulation
- Dr. Erik De Clercq and Dr. Anthony Fauci for their work in understanding and combatting viral diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS
- Dr. Robert Langer for his development of novel drug delivery systems that have revolutionized treatment for a number of diseases and chronic conditions
- Dr. Lynne Maquat and Dr. Alexander Varshavsky for their fundamental discoveries about regulated degradation of RNA and proteins
Johnson & Johnson is committed to honoring scientific creativity and excellence that can improve the lives of patients around the world. These awards aim to inspire future generations of scientists and researchers to continue to push boundaries through cutting-edge science and transformative healthcare solutions while honoring the legacies of the pioneers who came before. Johnson & Johnson knows that recognizing and supporting innovation - wherever it originates - is key to advancing medical discoveries. As Dr. Paul would say, "There is so much more to be done; the patients are waiting."