Honors and Recognition

Dr. Ilya J. Finkelstein has been awarded the 2021 Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research, for his significant scientific contributions in chemistry and biochemistry, and in recognition of his status as ‘rising star’ in his field.

Dr. Finkelstein is well regarded for his innovative methods to understand how cells repair their DNA and maintain integrity of genetic information, and his leadership and work surrounding the optimization and production of the spike protein, a critical component in some COVID-19 vaccine formulations.

“Dr. Finkelstein is a distinguished and impressive biophysicist,” said Peter B. Dervan, Chair, The Welch Foundation Scientific Advisory Board. “His creativity in the lab continues to move the field forward with cutting-edge research and discoveries related to DNA repair and CRISPR gene editing. Dr. Finkelstein’s recent COVID-19 research also shines light on the importance of ongoing and proactive basic chemical research.”