The Galien Foundation Announces 2023 Recipient of the Roy Vagelos, Pro Bono Humanum Award for Global Health Equity

-- Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African American woman astronaut, to receive award on October 26, 2023, at the Prix Galien USA Awards Ceremony in New York City

NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Galien Foundation, the premier global institution dedicated to honoring innovators in life sciences, today announced Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African American woman to be admitted into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut training program and enter space aboard the Endeavour on mission STS47, as the 2023 recipient of the Roy Vagelos, Pro Bono Humanum Award for Global Health Equity. Dr. Jemison is recognized for the exceptional achievements of her career, which has expanded across several roles including general practitioner, Peace Corps medical officer, educator, and founder of her own company, The Jemison Group. The award will be presented at the 17th annual Prix Galien USA Awards Ceremony, to be held on Thursday, October 26, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

"The Galien Foundation is proud to present Dr. Jemison with an award that reflects her illustrious achievements in the pursuit of scientific advancement, and continued leadership across the life sciences industries," said Dr. Michael Rosenblatt, Chair of the Prix Galien USA Committee. "We extend our thanks to Dr. Jemison for her contributions to the aeronautical and space industries, her dedication to the education of future generations, and lifelong commitment to the longevity of humankind. From her international science literacy curriculum, The Earth We Share™, to her charitable efforts as founder of the non-profit Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, Dr. Jemison continues to embody the true values of a global leader."

The Roy Vagelos, Pro Bono Humanum Award recognizes innovative individual and group efforts to improve the human condition through the application of biomedical science to health problems in developing or underserved populations worldwide. In 2018, the Award was renamed in honor of its first recipient, Dr. P Roy Vagelos, Retired Chairman and CEO, Merck & Co., Inc. Chairman of the Board, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, in recognition of his decades of corporate and philanthropic contributions to fighting disease in the pursuit of better health for all. Dr. Vagelos chaired the Prix Galien USA Committee between 2012 and 2017. Since its inception, the annual Pro Bono Humanum Award was personally presented by Prof. Elie Wiesel (1928–2016), Honorary Founding President of the Galien Foundation and 1986 Nobel Peace Laureate. Prof. Wiesel attended every ceremony during his lifetime.

Dr. Jemison was the first woman of color in the world to go into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour and was a NASA astronaut for six years. She currently serves as Principal for the 100 Years Starship Project, where her leadership and vision provide guidance and direction for the foundation and in fulfilling its goal of ensuring all the capabilities for a successful human journey to another star will exist by 2112. For more information on the 100 Years Starship Project, visit: https://100yss.org/

To learn more about the award and past Roy Vagelos Pro Bono Humanum Award winners, please visit: https://www.galienfoundation.org/roy-vagelos-pro-bono-humanum-award. To join us for the 2023 Prix Galien USA Forum and Awards Ceremony, please visit our website at: https://join.galienfoundation.org/.

About the Galien Foundation

The Galien Foundation fosters, recognizes and rewards excellence in scientific innovation to improve the state of human health. Our vision is to be the catalyst for the development of the next generation of innovative treatments and technologies that will impact the state of medical practice and save lives.

The Foundation oversees and directs activities in the US for the Prix Galien, an international awards program dedicated to progress through innovative medicines development, with chapters in 14 countries and Africa. The Prix Galien was created in 1970 by Roland Mehl in honor of Galien, the father of medical science and modern pharmacology. Worldwide, the Prix Galien is regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in biopharmaceutical research.

For more information, visit www.galienfoundation.org.

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Media Contact:
Kara Bradley
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SOURCE The Galien Foundation