<p>[Princeton</a> University - Botstein wins Albany Prize](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/82/43Q13/index.xml?section=topstories]Princeton”>http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/82/43Q13/index.xml?section=topstories)</p>
<p>"David Botstein, director of the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics at Princeton University, has been named a recipient of the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine for his leading role in mapping the human genome.</p>
<p>Botstein will share the honor and its $500,000 prize with co-recipients Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, and Eric Lander, a Princeton alumnus and director of the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. They will be recognized during an April 23 celebration at Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y.</p>
<p>“These three scientists undoubtedly will hold a special place in the history of science and medicine as primary initiators of a profound revolution in human development,” said James Barba, president and chief executive officer of Albany Medical Center and chair of the award’s national selection committee. “This is because they unlocked and opened the door that had previously barred us from understanding disease processes at the most basic genetic level. Their discoveries promise to lead to a wide range of advances including the development of person- and disease-specific medicines that should be much more effective at combating a wide range of diseases. . . . (continued)”</p>
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<p>[Leaders</a> in Mapping the Human Genome to Share Albany Medical Center Prize](<a href=“Featured News | Albany Med Health System”>Featured News | Albany Med Health System)</p>
<p>"Albany, N.Y., March 10, 2010Three American scientists whose profound insights led to the mapping of the human genetic blueprinta revolutionary development that dramatically expanded our knowledge of human diseasehave been named the recipients of the 10th annual Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research. They are David Botstein, Ph.D., director of the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics at Princeton University, Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institutes of Health, and Eric Steven Lander, Ph.D., president and director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. The $500,000 Prize is the largest award in medicine or science in the United States.</p>
<p>This is the 10th year the Albany Medical Center Prize, often called Americas Nobel, has been awarded. It was established in 2000 by the late Morris Marty Silverman to honor scientists whose work has demonstrated significant outcomes that offer medical value of national or international importance and to draw positive attention to Albany Medical Center and the Capital Region of New York as a center for biomedical research and medical education. A $50 million gift commitment from the Marty and Dorothy Silverman Foundation to Albany Medical Center provides for the Prize to be awarded annually for 100 years. . . . (continued)"</p>
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<p>Sometimes referred to as the “American Nobel Prize”, the Albany prize is the highest dollar prize in biomedical research in the United States. A total prize of half a million dollars will be shared by the three winners.</p>
<p>Ironically, Botstein (Harvard '63) now heads up Princeton’s genomics research labs while Lander (Princeton '78) heads up similar research at the Broad Institute at Harvard and MIT. Both have been mentioned as possible candidates for Nobel Prizes.</p>
<p>For more information about the life sciences at Princeton see:</p>
<p>[Princeton:</a> Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics](<a href=“Lewis-Sigler Institute”>http://www.genomics.princeton.edu/)</p>
<p>[Princeton</a> University - Department of Molecular Biology](<a href=“http://www.molbio.princeton.edu/]Princeton”>http://www.molbio.princeton.edu/)</p>