The Stowers Institute for Medical Research is proud to announce that Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer, Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., is the recipient of the 2023 Vilcek Foundation Prize in Biomedical Science.

Sánchez Alvarado earned the award for his contributions to the field of regeneration—from the identification of crucial genes that control regeneration in living organisms, to the potential for regenerative therapies to treat injury and disease in humans.

“Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado has devoted his career to understanding the fundamental molecular and cellular bases of regeneration, from the specific genes responsible for regeneration, to epigenetic regulators that compel the expression of these genes,” said Vilcek Foundation Chairman and CEO Jan Vilcek. “Using a freshwater flatworm—an organism called Schmidtea mediterranea—as a powerful experimental tool to study the molecular mechanisms of tissue regeneration, he has pioneered and expanded the field of regeneration. His work has broad applications for our understanding of the pathology of degenerative disease.”

The Vilcek Prize recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary contributions of immigrant professionals to the arts, culture, and society in the United States.

Sánchez Alvarado is one of nine recipients recognized for raising awareness of immigrant contributions and fostering appreciation for the arts and sciences. Recipients are chosen based on career achievements that represent a legacy of major accomplishment and innovation in their field with potential for further growth and development.

Read more here about Sánchez Alvarado’s accomplishments and what inspired him to pursue science.

To see the full list of winners and their accomplishments visit the Vilcek Foundation’s announcement page.