Professor YUAN Junying, Director of the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry (IRCBC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been awarded the 2026 World Laureates Foundation Prize (WLF Prize) in Life Science or Medicine for “elucidating molecular pathways of distinct forms of programmed cell death, which governs diverse physiological functions and disease pathogenesis”.

Yuan is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work on apoptosis and necroptosis, which has fundamentally changed our understanding of how cells die. Her research has revealed key mechanisms of regulated cell death and opened new avenues for developing therapies for cancer, inflammatory diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Yuan received her Ph.D. from Harvard University and went on to build a distinguished academic career at Harvard Medical School. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2007, appointed the Elizabeth D. Hay Professor in 2014, and elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2017. In 2020, Yuan joined the Chinese Academy of Sciences and became Director and Principal Investigator of IRCBC. In 2023, she was elected a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Professor YUAN Junying

The World Laureates Prize celebrates major advances in science that have expanded our understanding of the natural world and opened new possibilities for human health and society. It is intended to “support the advancement of global science and technology, to address the challenges to mankind and to promote the long-term progress of society”. Launched in Shanghai in 2021, the prize recognizes achievements in two categories: Life Science/Medicine and Computer Science/Mathematics. With 10 million yuan (approximately $1.49 million) awarded in each category, it ranks among the world’s largest scientific awards.

September 10, 2026