Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal

The Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal is awarded every two years by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "for important contributions to the medical sciences." It was first awarded in 1952 and involves a prize of $25,000 plus $50,000 for research.

The Kovalenko Fund was donated by Michael S. Kovalenko in 1949 to the National Academy of Sciences in memory of his wife, Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko.

Source: NAS

Huda Y. Zoghbi (2016)

For her pioneering contributions to the fields of neurodegenerative proteinopathies, autism spectrum disorders, epigenetics, and developmental biology by coupling clinical observation and gene discovery with focused, in-depth mechanistic study.

Stuart H. Orkin (2013)

For his pioneering achievements in defining the molecular basis of blood disorders and the mechanisms governing the development of blood stem cells and individual blood lineages. His work has significantly advanced our understanding of human hematologic diseases and revealed new strategies to prevent and manage these disorders.

Janet D. Rowley (2010)

For her discovery of recurring chromosome translocations that characterize specific hematological malignancies, a landmark event that caused a major shift in the paradigms relating to cancer biology in the 1970s and paved the way for development of specific treatment for two leukemias.

Jeffrey M. Friedman (2007)

For the discovery of leptin and its role in the regulation of appetite, energy expenditure, and the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity.

Irving L. Weissman (2004)

For his seminal studies that defined the physical properties, purification, and growth regulation of multipotent hematopoietic stem cells.

Robert J. Lefkowitz (2001)

For his elucidation of the structure, function, and mechanism of regulation of heptahelical receptors, nature's detectors of signals from many hormones, neurotransmitters, and drugs.

Hugh O. McDevitt (1998)

For his landmark discovery and identification of genes that control immune responsiveness, and for his subsequent elucidation of mechanisms of antigen recognition and induction of the immune response.

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