Lasker Awards

Eligibility

The Foundation is not currently accepting nominations for the Lasker Awards. The next round of nominations is expected to open Fall 2025, with a deadline in Feb 2026. See the website for details: https://laskerfoundation.org/awards/about-the-awards/ 

Anyone who has made an original and significant contribution in basic or clinical medical research, or in public service, is eligible for nomination. Lasker Awards are highly competitive and are bestowed on individuals whose work opens new areas of biomedical science or public service.
The Award winners may reside in any country of the world. The Lasker Foundation encourages you to submit nominations of outstanding scientists; nominations of women and minorities are encouraged.
The Awards are intended to recognize contributions that have opened new fields of research, advancing novel concepts or their applications in a particular biomedical discipline. These advances may consist of a specific contribution or a long series of contributions that demonstrate the nominee's significant leadership towards the development of research concepts or their clinical application.
 

Summary

Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award: For a fundamental discovery that opens up a new area of biomedical science.

Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award: For a major advance that improves the lives of many thousands of people.

Lasker~Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science: For research accomplishments and scientific statesmanship that engender the deepest feelings of awe and respect.

Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award: For improving the public’s understanding of medical research, public health, or healthcare; playing a major role in the support of policy, legislative, or other initiatives that accelerate progress in medical science or health; providing or generating support for medical science or public health; benefiting the lives of many people through public health practice. NOTE: The Public Service Award is given every other year; it will next be offered in 2026.

Lasker Medical Research Awardees are selected by an international jury chaired by Joseph L. Goldstein, recipient of the 1985 Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award winners are selected by a jury chaired by Margaret A. Hamburg.

Application deadlines

Program application deadline

1.  No more than three individuals will be considered for an Award in the Basic or Clinical category. Nominators for the Basic or Clinical Award should provide:

a.  A short citation (30 words or less) that highlights the nominee(s)'s research worthy of a Lasker Award.

b.  A concise summary (150 words or less) of your nominee(s)'s scientific contributions to this research.

c.  A description of how the nominee(s)'s work represent a major advance in either the basic or clinical sciences and how his or her original contributions that led to this advance (900 words or less).

d. A list of other scientist(s), in addition to your nominee(s), who should be considered for this award, and why.  Please Note:  The Jury considers this question a crucial one, and nominations without a complete answer to this question will be returned (450 words or less).

2.  All nominations must include the following additional information, which may be uploaded as part of this online submission:

a.  A brief one-page biography, including major awards received by each nominee.

b.  A one-page list of six (6) peer reviewed journal references that substantiate the statements made in your nomination.  Do NOT submit reprints.

3.  No more than five (5) letters of support per nomination will be accepted.  Letters in support of Basic nominations should address the nature of the nominee(s)’s discoveries, and how those discoveries have opened up a new area of biomedical science.  Letters in support of Clinical nominations should address uniquely innovative contributions of the nominee(s) that have advanced patient care for many thousands of people.  Letters of support can be either uploaded as part of this nomination package or mailed separately to the following address:

Lasker Medical Research Awards
Attention: David Keegan
405 Lexington Ave., 32nd Floor
New York, NY 10174
dkeegan@laskerfoundation.org