To solve a problem, we have to see it clearly. Whether it’s an infection by a novel virus or memory-stealing plaques forming in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, visualizing disease processes in the body is the first step toward alleviating human suffering. It’s also often the most difficult and costly. But an artificial intelligence (AI) breakthrough by Virginia Tech computer scientists published Sept. 16 in Cell Systems — a high-impact journal dedicated to biological research — is bringing those fog-bound processes into focus.

Researchers emphasize that cognitive decline is not inevitable with age and urge a shift toward lifestyle-based prevention. Up to 45% of dementia risk is linked to modifiable factors like poor diet, inactivity and isolation. Landmark trials like POINTER and FINGER show that structured interventions – featuring exercise, healthy diets, cognitive stimulation, and social engagement – can significantly boost cognitive function and potentially reduce Alzheimer’s risk.

During National Postdoc Appreciation Week, the Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences are proud to announce the three Laureates and six Finalists of the 2025 Blavatnik Regional Awards for Young Scientists, the Blavatnik Awards’ flagship prize that honors outstanding postdoctoral scientists from academic research institutions across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. 

The 2025 Blavatnik Regional Awards Laureates are:

 

Life Sciences: Veena Padmanaban, PhD, nominated by The Rockefeller University

Recognized for discovering a molecular mechanism allowing sensory neurons to communicate with breast cancer cells to drive metastasis and uncovering novel actionable therapeutic targets.

Physical Sciences & Engineering: Valentin Crépel, PhD, nominated by the Flatiron Institute

Recognized for advancing theories describing stacked, single-atom-thick materials, enabling easier control of their behaviors for applications in quantum technology and opening up new avenues for developing materials useful in novel quantum computing platforms.

 

Chemical Sciences: Xiao Xie, PhD, nominated by Princeton University

Recognized for pioneering chemical biology tools to map protein phase separation and copper signaling, which uncover molecular mechanisms underlying cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Xie is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of 2015 Blavatnik National Awards Laureate, Christopher Chang, PhD.

The Finalists are:

LIFE SCIENCES

Maria Cecilia Campos Canesso, PhD, nominated by The Rockefeller University

Recognized for advancing our understanding of food allergies and inflammatory bowel disease by developing new tools to uncover how immune cells communicate in the intestine, laying the foundation for more effective treatments.

 

Ipshita Zutshi, PhD, nominated by New York University

Recognized for discovering how the brain integrates dynamic goals with sensory inputs (sound, vision) to guide memory and decision-making — providing a framework for understanding cognitive dysfunction in psychiatric disorders.

 

PHYSICAL SCIENCES & ENGINEERING

Ore Gottlieb, PhD, nominated by the Flatiron Institute

Recognized for shifting the paradigm describing neutron star mergers, giving scientists a roadmap for finding and studying these rare events.

 

Viraj Pandya, PhD, nominated by Columbia University

Recognized for groundbreaking discoveries on early galaxy evolution, reshaping our understanding of how galaxies formed and challenging longstanding theories of the early universe.

 

CHEMICAL SCIENCES

Lucien Dupuy, PhD, nominated by Rutgers University, Newark

Recognized for developing quantum-classical and machine learning simulations that elucidate how molecules respond to light, crucial to understanding diverse topics like DNA stability, photocatalysis, and energy conversion. Dupuy is the first Blavatnik Awards honoree from Rutgers University, Newark, NJ.

 

Yunjia Lai, PhD, nominated by Columbia University

Recognized for pioneering mass spectrometry innovations to map and screen environmental exposures and biological changes that drive neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Some of our biggest threats can come in the tiniest forms—viruses and bacteria. Thankfully, we are born with a built-in defense system, our innate immune system that protects us in our youth but can turn against us as we age. New research from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research is revealing why this tradeoff exists, identifying a common power source driving many immune system responses to pathogens. The findings may potentially lead to new ways to combat inflammation and diseases associated with aging like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cancer.