Dr. Juchan Yang’s research team at the Hydrogen & Battery Materials Center, from the Energy & Environment Materials Research Division of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), has developed a composite catalyst using the novel material MXene that suppresses the generation of chloride ions-one of the key challenges in seawater electrolysis. This research outcome is expected to accelerate the practical application of seawater electrolysis technology by enabling stable hydrogen production even in seawater.

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.

A new white paper: “From Knowledge to Solutions: Science, Technology and Innovation in Support of the UN SDGs”, published in the open-science scholarly journal Research Ideas and Outcomes (RIO), brings together leading voices from Europe’s biodiversity and data science communities to deliver a clear message: protecting biodiversity is not just an environmental issue. It is essential for food security, public health, climate stability, and the global economy. The authors make a call for a decisive shift: from fragmented initiatives to a holistic, global approach to biodiversity research and policy.