Since 1978, the Wolf Foundation in Israel has awarded the Wolf Prize to living scientists and artists for their achievements in the interest of humanity and fraternal relations among peoples without regard for nationality, race, color, religion, sex, or political leanings.
The foundation recently announced that American biochemist Pamela Björkman of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has been awarded the prestigious prize in recognition of her advances in HIV and coronavirus research.
For years, Björkman has been working on understanding the immune system and developing new strategies to combat infectious diseases, revolutionizing knowledge about how the immune system identifies pathogens and opening up new possibilities for vaccine design.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Björkman has focused his efforts on developing immunogens that trigger antibody responses against coronaviruses, a strategy that could be key in future pandemics.
This year, the Wolf Foundation also recognized Chinese architect Tiantian Xu for her impact on rural development in China, and scientists from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Israel in the areas of agriculture, physics, and chemistry.