MCB Awards and Honors

MCB student-athletes earn Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors
July 2022

Biochemistry professor Nicholas Wu awarded Ann Palmenberg Junior Investigator Award
July 2022

Biochemistry professor Nicholas Wu awarded Michelson Prize to advance vaccine, immunology research
January 2022
The Michelson Medical Research Foundation and Human Vaccines Project on Tuesday recognized three outstanding early career researchers, including University of Illinois biochemistry professor Nicholas Wu, with the Michelson Prizes: Next Generation Grants. Each winner will be awarded $150,000 to enable their high-impact ideas to advance human immunology, vaccine discovery, and immunotherapy.

Latest Jump ARCHES Awards Focus on Medical Tech Solutions to Meet Vexing Health Care Challenges
January 2022
Twenty research projects are sharing slightly more than $1.4 million in funding through the Jump ARCHES research and development program to address a variety of vexing medical challenges including neurological testing for children and athletes (such as concussions), migraines, and stress among nurses enduring pandemic challenges at home and at work. The Jump ARCHES program is a partnership between OSF HealthCare and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I) and its College of Medicine in Peoria (UICOMP).

University of Illinois iGEM Team 2021 Brings Home Bronze Medal
December 2021
EDITOR’S UPDATE: The Illinois team’s “Project apPETite” was awarded a bronze medal at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) 2021 competition. The six-member student team worked to design better enzymes to break down widely used Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics. Learn more in this two-minute video or read our August story about the project below.

Biochemistry professor Nicholas Wu earns NIH Director's New Innovator Award
October 2021
Nicholas Wu, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has received a National Institutes of Health Director’s New Innovator Award, part of the Common Fund’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research program.

U of I president honors MCB researchers for their work on COVID-19 response
August 2021
University of Illinois President Tim Killeen on Monday honored 28 key leaders of the system’s COVID-19 response with the Presidential Medallion. The medallion is the highest honor that the system president can bestow.

Seeing is believing: Image of primary visual cortex in a mouse wins second place in NIH research image contest
August 2021
Congratulations to the Tajkhorshid lab and collaborators who created a stunning research image recently highlighted by the National Institutes of Health.

Congratulations to Supriya Prasanth, who has been named a University Scholar
June 2021
Supriya G. Prasanth, professor and head of the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology in the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, has been chosen as a University Scholar. The University Scholars Program, established in 1985, aims to support outstanding University of Illinois faculty members and reward them for their academic excellence with funding for further research.

Jana Radin named LAS Honors Faculty Mentor of the Year
May 2021
Congratulations to Jana Radin on being chosen as the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Honors Faculty Mentor of the Year!