Max Delbrück Prize in Biological Physics

For contributions to morphogenesis, evolution, and biological information processing, combining mastery of biological knowledge, innovative analysis of biological data, and rigorous theoretical reasoning to uncover deep insights into the underlying principles of biological processes.

For pioneering theoretical models that guided experimentalists and explained experimental results for protein and RNA folding, chromosome dynamics, molecular motors, and collective cell dynamics, and for changing our understanding of how molecular chaperones facilitate folding.

For powerful theoretical approaches to the physics of life and incisive connections between theory and experiment, from the mechanics of DNA to the dynamics of genetic networks, and from noise in gene expression to pattern formation in embryos and populations of stem cells.

For the leading role in initiating the field of computational immunology, aimed at applying approaches from physical sciences and engineering to unravel the mechanistic underpinnings of the adaptive immune response to pathogens, and to harness this understanding to help design vaccines and therapy.

For developing quantitative studies that reveal fundamental constraints on bacterial physiology, and for formulating simple phenomenological theories that quantitatively predict bacterial responses to genetic and environmental changes.