New award to boost stem-cell research

Boyalife Group, the journal Science and its subordinate serial Science Translational Medicine announced that they have initiated a global award to encourage innovation in research and clinical application of stem-cell technologies and cellular therapy for cancers.

The Boyalife, Science & Science Translational Medicine Award in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine is the first major award in the field of stem-cell and regenerative medicine globally. Boyalife is a bio-pharmaceutical group with four research-and-development centers in China, and includes the biggest and the most automated stem-cell bank in the world, according to its website.

"We are very glad to be a global partner of the journal Science. We have the same goals. We want to let science serve society, and emphasize the importance of transforming research results into applications," said Xu Xiaochun, chairman of Boyalife, at the launching ceremony of the award in Beijing held on Dec 12.

Beginning in 2016, Boyalife and the journal Science will choose one early-career scientist who has made significant contributions or achievements in related field as the award winner from candidates annually, as well as some encouragement awards.

Kent Anderson, publisher of Science, said the award will have great value for the related scientific field, adding that the journal will use its global influence to organize an international professional jury panel to select the winners.

The call for nominations and details of the first award have been published in Science’s Dec 4 issue, and the results for 2016 will be released around the middle of the year.

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