Stephen M. Strittmatter, MD, PhD, Vincent Coates Professor of Neurology and professor of neuroscience, has been named a laureate of the 2021 King Faisal Prize for Medicine for his work in regenerative medicine in neurological conditions. The King Faisal Foundation, established in Saudi Arabia in memory of that country’s late leader, awarded the prize in recognition of Strittmatter’s pivotal contributions to the molecular understanding of failed axonal growth and limited recovery following spinal cord injury.
Strittmatter has translated these discoveries into the development of new therapeutic approaches applicable to central nervous system regeneration. Phase 1/2 human trials began more than a year ago.
Strittmatter’s prior honors include a Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and recognition by the Ameritec Foundation, the John Merck Fund, the American Academy of Neurology, the Donaghue Foundation, and the McKnight Foundation.