Please join us in congratulating Dr. Ben Morehouse Recipient of the Michelson Medical Research Foundation Award to Rising Immunology Leaders

LOS ANGELES—Michelson Medical Research Foundation (MMRF) is proud to announce the eighth cohort of recipients of its 2026 Michelson Prizes: Next Generation Grants, naming five early-career scientists whose research is advancing the future of human immunology.

The program is supporting its largest cohort to date, awarding five early-career scientists $150,000 each to accelerate innovative work in immunology, vaccine discovery, and immunotherapy.

The 2026 awardees are: Benjamin Morehouse, Ph.D. (University of California, Irvine); Theodore Roth, MD, Ph.D. (Stanford University); Inta Gribonika, Ph.D. (Lund University); Joshua Gray, Ph.D. (Columbia University); and Mohamad Abedi, Ph.D. (University of Washington).

This expanded cohort reflects a surge in exceptional applications, driven in part by sustained cuts and uncertainty around federal funding for scientific research. As early-career researchers face these mounting constraints, MMRF is increasing its investment in high-risk, high-impact science with the potential to transform global health.

“Supporting the next generation of immunology pioneers is more critical than ever,” saidDr. Gary K. Michelson, founder and co-chair of Michelson Medical Research Foundation. “Early-career scientists are facing unprecedented constraints in federal funding, yet they continue to propose bold, imaginative science. We are proud to help elevate these visions and ensure that catalytic ideas receive the support they need to flourish.” Link to full article.