Los Angeles, CA, July 30, 2007: The W.M. Keck Foundation, a leading supporter of high-impact medical research, science and engineering, today announced the 2007 class of grant recipients under its Distinguished Young Scholars in Medical Research Program.
Robert A. Day, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said: “Now in its ninth year, our Young Scholars program is designed to give the nation’s most promising young scientists the resources they need to pursue potentially breakthrough research projects in biomedicine. We are very pleased to support this group of Young Scholars who clearly exhibit extraordinary promise for future research and academic leadership.”
Under the program, each grant recipient’s sponsoring institution receives an award of up to $1 million to support the scientist’s research activities for a period of up to five years, as well as to enable the institution to purchase necessary equipment and resources to facilitate the scientist’s ongoing study. It is hoped that the investment in the Keck Scholars will greatly benefit society for generations to come with continued advances in understanding – and combating – the fundamental mechanisms of human disease.
The Young Scholars Program was initiated in 1999 and has awarded grants totalling nearly $45 million to date. Each grant applicant must be nominated by his or her research institution and then evaluated by the Foundation’s Medical Research Board and a Scientific Advisory Committee and unanimously approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Nominations are accepted on an invitation-only basis.
The 2007 class of Distinguished Young Scholars is:
The Foundation’s Board of Directors has unanimously approved the recommendations made by the Scientific Advisory Committee.
Based in Los Angeles, the W.M. Keck Foundation was established in 1954 by the late W.M. Keck, founder of the Superior Oil Company. The Foundation's grant making is focused primarily on pioneering efforts in the areas of medical research, science and engineering. The Foundation also maintains a Southern California grant program that provides support in the areas of civic and community services with a special emphasis on children and youth.
For more information about the W.M. Keck Foundation and the Young scholars program, please visit the Foundation’s web site at www.wmkeck.org/programs/scholars.html .