The Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine awarded Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Professor Adrian Krainer the August M. Watanabe Prize in Translational Research for his revolutionary work on a cellular process called RNA splicing. Krainer’s research led to the development of nusinersen (Spinraza®), the first FDA-approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). SMA is a neurodegenerative disease and the leading genetic cause of infant death.
The Watanabe Prize honors individuals who have transformed scientific discoveries into new therapies for patients. It is awarded to a senior investigator who has made a significant contribution to the field of translational science. The winner receives $100,000 and is invited to speak at the IU School of Medicine and its partner institutions. Krainer is the award’s seventh recipient.
“I am very honored and grateful to be selected for the Watanabe Prize in Translational Research, and I feel humbled by the remarkable scientific accomplishments of the six prior recipients,” Krainer says. “I look forward to sharing our results on RNA-targeted therapeutics in the Fall at Indiana University School of Medicine.”
Krainer will be the featured speaker at the 2022 Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute Annual Meeting on September 16. The meeting will focus on rare diseases.
Written by: Nick Wurm, Communications Specialist | wurm@cshl.edu | 516-367-5940