University of Wisconsin-Madison professor James Thomson received the McEwen Award for Innovation, an award given for ground-breaking stem cell research Thursday for his research in the area.
The International Society for Stem Cell Research honored Thomson with the award for his work, which first utilized embryonic stem cells in 1998, as well as his work with turning human skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, which are cells that have not yet been differentiated to fit a specific purpose within the body.
Thomson also served as the director of regenerative biology at UW-Madison’s Morgridge Institute for Research and is the university’s James Kress professor of embryonic stem cell biology.
"It's an honor to be recognized with the McEwen Award,” Thomson said in a university release. “I'm pleased that my work and the work of many key collaborators in this field has created new avenues for understanding and addressing challenges in human health.”
The ISSCR will present the award to Thomson at a ceremony in June.
