Prizes
Since 1986, the Louis-Jeantet Foundation rewards each year experienced researchers who have distinguished themselves in the field of biomedical research in one of the member states of the Council of Europe. The Prizes are not intended solely as the recognition of work that has been completed, but also to encourage the continuation of innovative research projects. The Scientific Committee of the Louis-Jeantet Foundation is responsible for deciding the Prize Winners.
In figures
The sum currently available to each prize-winner amounts to CHF 500,000, of which CHF 450,000 are to be used for financing ongoing research and CHF 50,000 are given to the researcher personally. Since 1986, the Foundation has awarded more than CHF 65 million to the 105 Prize winners for the continuation of their research.
Sixteen winners of the Louis-Jeantet Foundation’s Prizes have subsequently been distinguished by the Nobel Prizes in physiology or medicine, or in chemistry.
Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine
For a fundamental discovery in biomedical research.
Painfully struck by the death of many of his family members affected by cancer, Louis Jeantet had the idea of creating a Foundation intended to support biomedical research in 1965. Over the following years he interacted regularly with doctors and scientists to develop the framework that would give rise to the foundation in 1983 and to the Prize in 1986.
Collen-Jeantet Prize for Translational Medicine
For a major advance, close to practical applications for combating illnesses affecting humankind.
Since 2019, donations from the Désiré Collen Stichting support the named award. Désiré Collen was born in Sint-Truiden, Belgium, in 1943. He obtained a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry at the University of Leuven, Belgium, before moving to the US and Sweden for his research. Returning to Leuven in 1973 he focused on thrombolysis, the dissolution of blood clots in heart attacks and strokes. Collen discovered α2-antiplasmin, the physiological inhibitor of plasmin in the blood and developed with Genentech Inc, CA, USA tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), still the most effective drug for the treatment of ischemic stroke. He was among the first recipients of the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine.