Inflammation Researcher to Receive 2016 Ross Prize

NEW YORK, June 2, 2016 — On June 13, 2016, researchers will gather in New York City for the 2016 Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine: Resolution of Inflammation symposium honoring 2016 Ross Prize winner Dr. Charles N. Serhan, PhD, DSc, Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard Medical School, for his important discoveries in identifying bioactive mediators and cellular pathways critical in the resolution of inflammatory diseases. The Ross Prize recognizes biomedical scientists whose discoveries have changed the way medicine is practiced.

"By using a multidisciplinary approach, Dr. Serhan discovered that inflammation resolution is an active process. His research has led to both a novel understanding of inflammatory pathologies and the subsequent development of therapies for difficult diseases," says Kevin J. Tracey, MD, President & Chief Executive Officer, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. "We are pleased to bring together researchers in this field to honor him and discuss the next steps in this important work."

In addition to the presentation of Dr. Serhan's Ross Prize by Lars Klareskog, MD, PhD, Karolinska Institutet and Dr. Serhan's keynote lecture, two leading researchers will give presentations about their work related to emerging approaches for targeting inflammatory diseases:

• Mauro Perretti, PhD, The William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, will give a talk entitled "Resolution Pharmacology: Innovation in the Treatment of Chronic Diseases," and

• Ruslan M. Medzhitov, PhD, Yale School of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, will give a talk entitled "Inflammation, Homeostasis, and Disease."

"I am very pleased and excited to receive this year's Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine because it honors a new field of research, both our contributions and those of our collaborators," says Dr. Serhan. "Since many widely occurring diseases are associated with uncontrolled inflammation, such as arthritis, neurodegenerative diseases, and periodontal diseases, the identification of new endogenous pro-resolving mediators and mechanisms are fundamental and now offer many new treatment opportunities for these and other human diseases that involve microbial clearance, organ protection, and tissue regeneration."

"The visibility of the Ross Prize may help us move more swiftly in the clinical development of this new field of resolution pharmacology and novel therapeutics," adds Dr. Serhan.

Members of the media are invited to attend this event. For complimentary press passes, please contact Diana Friedman (dfriedman@nyas.org; 212-298-8645).

About the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research

Headquartered in Manhasset, NY, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, the research arm of Northwell Health, is home to international scientific leaders. We rank in the top 6th percentile of all National Institutes of Health grants awarded to research institutes. We're making breakthroughs in many areas, including genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity and immunology, and bioelectronic medicine - a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we empower imagination and pioneer discovery, visit FeinsteinInstitute.org.

About Molecular Medicine

Molecular Medicine is an Open-Access, international, peer-reviewed, biomedical journal seeking insight into the cellular and molecular basis of disease.  The journal publishes work in the format of original research articles, review articles, editorials, commentaries and letters to the editor.  The 2014 Journal Citation Report (JCR) lists Molecular Medicine with an impact factor of 4.508.  For more information, visit www.molmed.org

About the New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science, technology, and society worldwide. With more than 20,000 members in 100 countries around the world, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. The Academy's core mission is to advance scientific knowledge, positively impact the major global challenges of society with science-based solutions, and increase the number of scientifically informed individuals in society at large. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org.