Leslie Gehry Prize for Innovation in Science

This prize recognizes scientists who have made extraordinary contributions to Huntington’s disease research. It was created as a collaboration between HDF and HDF Founding Director and renowned architect Frank Gehry and his family to honor his late daughter Leslie’s memory. This prize reflects Leslie’s many talents and gifts – originality, spontaneity, precision, and rigor – all critical attributes of a scientist.

2025 Recipient

Jeff B. Carroll, PhD

Institution: University of Washington

Dr. Carroll receives the fifteenth Leslie Gehry Prize for Innovation in Science.

In the rare disease space, few scientists embody the spirit of hope, perseverance, and scientific excellence quite like Dr. Jeff Carroll. Dr. Carroll’s career has been dedicated to advancing research toward a treatment for Huntington’s disease (HD), which is specifically important to him as someone living with the gene. His personal connection to HD has fueled a scientific career of extraordinary breadth and impact, shaped by deep empathy, fierce intellect, and an unwavering commitment to the HD community.

Jeff’s journey into science wasn’t typical. While serving in the U.S. Army, his mother was diagnosed with HD, which changed everything. Knowing he was at 50% risk of inheriting the gene himself, he set down a path that would take him from a basic Army biology course to the frontlines of HD research. After testing positive for the HD gene in 2003, Jeff committed to a career in neuroscience that could help chart a better future for people like him and his mother.

Dr. Carroll earned his PhD under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Hayden at the University of British Columbia, contributing to foundational research on HD mouse models and gene-silencing strategies. He later joined the lab of Dr. Marcy MacDonald at Harvard Medical School to study metabolic changes in HD. In 2011, he launched his independent research group at Western Washington University, before joining the Department of Neurology at the University of Washington in 2022. Across each phase of his career, Jeff’s scientific work has blended molecular rigor with a clear-eyed focus on what matters most: improving the lives of people with HD.

Dr. Carroll’s influence extends beyond the lab bench. In 2011, alongside Dr. Ed Wild, he co-founded HDBuzz, the world’s first plain-language HD research news platform. HDBuzz has transformed how families, people living with HD, and caregivers access HD science, by providing hope, clarity, and empowerment to a global audience.

Jeff’s impact also stretches into the world of nano-rare diseases. He works with n-Lorem, an organization delivering life-saving gene-targeted therapies to patients with ultra-rare genetic diseases for free for life. His work ensures that the most vulnerable patients have a voice, and a shot at treatment.