The 2021 MolecularCloud Distinguished Research Awards aim to recognize outstanding research achievements in genome editing field. The two nominees who received most votes will win the awards. Each awardee will receive the award certificate and a prize worth $4000.

MolecularCloud has selected out 12 teams among all the nominees’ research teams and will offer each team a gift pack (Gift card, T-shirt, hoodie, canvas bag, GenScript coupons etc.).

Click here to check the award prize for winners >>
  • $3,000 Research Grant

  • $1,000 GenScript Services

Click here to check the gift pack for winning teams >>
Award Winners
Ben Kleinstiver

Ben Kleinstiver

Harvard Medical School (HMS)
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)

Caixia Gao

Caixia Gao

Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences

Terms and conditions

  • Online voting competition will last from January 11, 2021 to March 11, 2021. The voting channel will be closed at 0:00 a.m. EST, March 12, 2021.
  • The top two nominees who received most votes will win the awards. The final awardees will be announced on March 12, 2021.
  • Each account can vote for up to three nominees every day.
  • Any votes obtained by cheating software or any fraud activities will be removed from the vote tally. Depending on the severity, a candidate may be disqualified.
  • MolecularCloud reserves the right of final explanation for details of this campaign. If there's any further question, please feel free to contact us at support@molecularcloud.org.

Distinguished Research Awards

MolecularCloud Distinguished Research Awards are an important way by which the platform to recognize, foster and encourage outstanding performance in life sciences research field. The awards have been presented annually since 2019.

Dr. Xavier Saelens
Principal Investigator at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Belgium

It was a most pleasant surprise to receive the news that our paper on the first single domain antibody (aka nanobody) that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2, received the MolecularCloud Distinguished Research Award. The published work was a joined effort with Jason McLellan, and received the price in the category vaccines and therapeutic studies for COVID-19. An great honor, many thanks to MolecularCloud, and to the llama that provided us with this amazing SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing single domain antibody.

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2020 Award Winners

Three research teams were awarded the 2020 MolecularCloud Distinguished Research Awards for their great contribution to the studies of COVID-19 and the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

Team led by Dr. Zheng-Li Shi
Team led by Dr. David Veesler
Team led by Dr. Bert Schepens, Dr. Xavier Saelens, Dr. Jason McLellan

Learn More >>

2019 Award Winners

Two scientists won Distinguished Research Cloud Scientist Award and Social Impact Cloud Scientist Award.


Distinguished Research Award: Dr. Nathan Hillson
Social Impact Award: Dr. Feng Shao