14th Annual Regeneron Prize for Creative Innovation: Call for Applications
The 14th Annual Regeneron Prize for Creative Innovation
Mission: To recognize and honor creativity and innovation by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the Biomedical Sciences.
Prize details: Two (2) applicants are selected to receive the Regeneron Prize for Creative Innovation each year. These applicants must be either current PhD graduate students or postdoctoral fellows. Each winner receives a check for $50,000, which can be used in any way the winner chooses. Finalists are each awarded $5,000. In addition, the home institution of the winners will each receive a $5,000 donation to support the institution’s seminar series. Approximately 8-10 applicants will be selected for finalist status. Finalists may be invited to visit Regeneron for the onsite competition, travel expenses paid.
Nominations: Each institution may nominate no more than two (2) PhD students and two (2)
postdoctoral fellows. Each submission must include a signed institutional endorsement form. Applicants must prepare a description of their “dream” project and submit their
full academic CV along with evidence of scholarly achievement.
The “Dream” Project, see also guidelines attached:
1. The research proposed must be within the field of biomedicine, broadly defined.
2. The proposal must be no more than two single-spaced pages (no smaller than 10-point font).
References do not need to be included within the two-page limit, but any figures, etc. should be.
Note that preliminary data is not necessary.
3. The proposal should clearly define a specific experiment or series of experiments, and include a rationale, basic methodology/design (citing literature is fine), and discussion of how the experiment's results would advance the field.
The deadline for selected institutional nominees to submit final materials to Regeneron is Monday March 2, 2026.
Please note: the “dream project” must be within the field of biomedicine, broadly defined, but can be unrelated to the student’s thesis research; this idea does not have to be something the student is doing or even going to pursue in the future.
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HOW TO APPLY
There is a two-step selection process for this award:
1. All GSAS PhD students doing research in the field of biomedicine are invited to apply to the internal competition.
2. Nominees chosen by the internal selection committee will be invited to submit complete proposals to the Regeneron Prize committee.
For the internal competition, doctoral students should submit:
1. a CV/biosketch that includes a full list of publications
2. a draft of their Dream Project Proposal (note: selected nominees will have additional time to work on their proposal)
The student’s advisor must also send an email to gsasacademicprograms@fas.harvard.edu supporting the student’s nomination. This is not a letter of recommendation, but simply a note acknowledging that the advisor supports the student applying for the Regeneron Prize.
These materials should be sent to gsasacademicprograms@fas.harvard.edu by Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at noon. Questions? Please contact Jeannette Miller at jeannette_miller@fas.harvard.edu.