Purpose
The Jacobæus Prize for Biomedicine recognises an outstanding active scientist , who at the time of awarding is affiliated with a Danish non-profit research institution and who has made transformative contributions to the fields of basic bioscience or biomedicine. The Prize is intended to acknowledge scientific excellence and to further strengthen biomedical research in Denmark.
The Prize is of DKK 1.7 million and consists of a DKK 1.250.000 research grant and a personal award of DKK 250.000. Additionally, up to DKK 200.000 is awarded to the recipient’s host institution for organizing and hosting of a prize symposium within the recipient’s field(s) of research.
Nominations
The nomination call for 2026 is open until 18 August.
The Foundation welcomes nominations by individual researchers and by research institutions including academic and industrial institutions, and research funding agencies. To be evaluated by the Bioscience and Basic Biomedicine (BBM) Committee, nominations must be submitted electronically via the nomination form. The nomination and review processes are confidential.
Eligibility:
- Nominees must have made transformative contributions to basic bioscience or biomedicine. This includes both advancing our understanding of disease mechanisms or fundamental research of basic biological principles.
- Nominees must have a current position and an active research program at a non-profit research institution in Denmark.
- Nominees must serve as inspirational leaders and role models for young scientists.
- Nominees may have any nationalities.
- Nominators (individual or institution) are limited to one nomination.
Ineligibility:
- Self-nominations are not accepted.
- Nominators cannot be family members.
- The prize may not be awarded to members of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Board or members of one of the Novo Nordisk Foundation standing committees.
The Jacobæus Prize for Biomedicine will be announced in December.
More about Jacobæus Prize
Prize Symposium
After official announcement of the Prize, the recipient together with their host institution may organise and host a prize symposium for which the Novo Nordisk Foundation will award up to DKK 200,000.
History of the Jacobæus Prize
The Jacobæus Prize – the Foundations oldest prize – was instituted in 1939 by Nordisk Insulin Foundation. It was awarded for the first time in 1942 in memory of H.C. Jacobæus, who served on the Board of the Nordisk Insulin Foundation from its inception in 1926 until his death. Jacobæus was a Swedish professor and pioneering clinical researcher, who developed a method for exploring the pleural cavity (thoracoscopy) using a cystoscope, which greatly improved the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases, especially tuberculosis.
In 2024, it was decided to change the prize to be national and to broaden the scope to cover all elements of bioscience and biomedicine. From 2025, the Jacobæus prize is therefore awarded for a Danish contribution.
