Leslie Gehry brenner prize for innovation

2010

The Leslie Gehry Brenner Prize for Innovation in Science was created to honor the memory of Leslie Gehry Brenner, the late daughter of Vice President and HDF Founding Director, Frank Gehry.

In Frank’s words: “Leslie was a wonderfully talented, original, free spirit. Leslie made us better by her presence and we mourn her absence. She was a gifted artist – creative with everything she touched – jewelry making, photography, painting and filmmaking.”

To launch the Leslie Gehry Brenner Prize for Innovation in Science, Berta and Frank Gehry gave an extraordinarily generous gift of $1,000,000!! Prize recipients, selected by a Prize Committee, receive $100,000 for research.

Frank wants the Prize to recognize a scientist who has moved mountains to find new treatments and cures. He wants to acknowledge cutting-edge genius. He wants the Prize for an active scientist running an active lab. He wants to reward and recognize creativity and originality.

In 2010, David Housman, Ph.D., Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research, the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Member, National Academy of Sciences; and Member, Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, received the very first Leslie Gehry Brenner Prize for Innovation in Science. David’s paradigm-breaking research – beginning in 1978 – to discover the Huntington’s disease gene helped launch the Human Genome Project. The continuing ingenuity, originality and creativity in his work today make him the ideal first recipient of The Leslie Gehry Brenner Prize for Innovation in Science. Most accomplishments in Huntington’s disease research have depended on his breakthrough.

Gillian P. Bates, M.Sc., Ph.D., Fellow of the Royal Society; Professor of Neurogenetics; Head, Division of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, King’s College, UK, was selected to be the second recipient of the prestigious Leslie Gehry Brenner Prize for Innovation in Science.

In 1996, Gill generated the very first mouse models of Huntington’s disease.

Gill’s work has been recognized by her peers and the world. In 2007, she was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society. The Royal Society was founded in 1660 and granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II in 1662. It is the world’s oldest scientific academy in continuous existence. Darwin, Newton, James Watson, Francis Crick, Max Perutz, Steven Hawking all are Fellows. Only 44 new Fellows are elected annually. Gillian Bates is one of an even more elite group – only 5% of Fellows are women!!!!

Gill’s citation reads: “Professor Gillian Bates is distinguished for her significant contributions to the understanding of Huntington’s disease. She played a key role in the cloning of the Huntington’s disease gene. She generated the first mouse model of Huntington’s disease, which has been pivotal in uncovering previously unknown aspects of the disease’s pathogenesis. In recognition of her achievements Professor Bates was awarded the Royal Society Glaxo Wellcome Award in 1998.”

We treasure Gill’s work, her humanity, devotion and drive. This is why our Prize Selection Committee feels that Gillian Bates is extremely deserving of the Leslie Gehry Brenner Prize for Innovation in Science. They agree with the Royal Society and many others in bestowing this honor.