SEATTLE — On February 26, 2026, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center heralded the outstanding accomplishments of twelve graduate students by announcing the latest recipients of the prestigious Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award. This accolade, deeply rooted in the biological sciences, celebrates extraordinary scientific innovation and intellectual diligence, spotlighting the next generation of path-breaking researchers. Awarded annually, this honor not only recognizes scientific originality but also underscores the crucial role graduate research plays in shaping the future trajectory of biomedical and biological sciences.
The 2026 cohort of awardees hail from some of the most reputable research institutions across the United States. Their projects delve into an impressive array of cutting-edge scientific domains such as tumor metabolism, sensory reception mechanisms, and DNA replication fidelity. These topics reflect the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of modern biological science, where understanding the molecular underpinnings of disease and sensory perception can drive revolutionary therapeutic approaches and deepen foundational biological knowledge.
Jihong Bai, PhD, professor within Fred Hutch’s Basic Sciences Division and chairperson of the Weintraub awards committee, emphasized the unparalleled scientific creativity and intellectual rigor demonstrated by this year’s recipients. According to Dr. Bai, the awardees stand as exemplars of the scientific community’s future leaders who combine innovative thinking with meticulous experimentation. Their work not only advances knowledge but is poised to catalyze novel avenues in biomedical research that could translate into tangible clinical benefits.
Named in honor of Dr. Harold “Hal” Weintraub, a pioneering molecular biologist and founding figure of Fred Hutch’s Basic Sciences Division, this award carries forward his legacy. Dr. Weintraub passed away in 1995 due to brain cancer, yet his impact remains deeply ingrained in the scientific community. Since its inception 27 years ago, the Weintraub Graduate Student Award has recognized the achievements of over 360 exceptional graduate students worldwide, affirming its status as a beacon of scientific excellence and a catalyst for young researchers.
The rigorous selection process for awardees is overseen by a diverse committee comprising faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students from Fred Hutch Cancer Center. This peer-driven evaluation ensures that the recipients are judged by their scientific merits, specifically focusing on the originality, impact, and transformative potential of their research. The international breadth of the applicant pool showcases the award’s global prestige and its role in fostering international scientific collaboration and exchange.
The breadth of scientific inquiries represented by this year’s winners is as diverse as it is deep. Their research addresses unresolved questions in cellular metabolism, particularly how tumor cells modify metabolic pathways to thrive and evade therapeutic interventions. Other projects unravel the intricacies of sensory reception, enabling a greater understanding of how organisms perceive and respond to environmental stimuli at molecular and cellular levels. Meanwhile, work in DNA replication examines the molecular fidelity mechanisms ensuring genomic stability, which is fundamental for preventing oncogenic transformations and other genetic disorders.
Supported by the Weintraub/Groudine Fellowship for Science and Human Disease, the award is also a testament to the importance of fostering intellectual exchange and creating supportive environments for graduate education in the biomedical sciences. This fellowship aids in building a collaborative community of emerging scientists dedicated to groundbreaking biological discoveries with far-reaching clinical implications.
The significance of these graduate researchers’ contributions lies not only within their respective disciplines but also in their capacity to cross disciplinary boundaries, integrating molecular biology, biochemistry, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology. This interdisciplinary approach is crucial for unraveling the complexities of human disease and biological function. Many of these young scientists have already demonstrated leadership in employing novel methodologies such as CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, high-resolution live-cell imaging, and single-cell transcriptomics.
Their achievements will be formally acknowledged during the Weintraub Symposium scheduled for May 1, 2026, at Fred Hutch Cancer Center. This event provides a platform for awardees to present their research findings to the wider scientific community, fostering networking and potential collaborations that will further accelerate their research trajectories.
Below is a list of the 2026 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award recipients along with their respective research affiliations, representing a constellation of premier institutions and programs dedicated to advancing the biological sciences:
- Keene Abbott, PhD, Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Gabriella Chua, PhD, Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, Rockefeller University
- Lifei Jiang, PhD, Molecular Biology, Princeton University
- Won Jun Kim, PhD, Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program)
- Ruchita Kothari, PhD, Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology (BCMB) Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Ayush Midha, PhD, UCSF Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco
- Rohith Rajasekaran, PhD, Integrated Program in Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Yusha Sun, PhD, Neuroscience Graduate Group / Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pennsylvania
- Andrea Terceros, PhD, David Rockefeller Graduate Program, Rockefeller University
- Wendy Valencia Montoya, PhD, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
- Zachary Walsh, PhD, Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Studies, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Peter Yoon, PhD, Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center continues its vital mission as an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the convergence of advanced research and individualized patient care. With its designation as the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Washington State, Fred Hutch boasts landmark achievements in cancer biology, immunotherapy, HIV/AIDS prevention, and vaccine development including groundbreaking work that informed COVID-19 vaccine creation. The center operates multiple clinical care sites delivering cutting-edge therapies such as medical oncology, radiation, infusion, and proton therapy while serving as the cancer program for UW Medicine.
This year’s Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award recipients exemplify the cutting-edge spirit and scientific fervor that are indispensable to addressing both fundamental biological questions and transformative medical challenges. Their research represents a beacon of hope, promising to illuminate new scientific paradigms and expedite the development of innovative therapeutic interventions.
Subject of Research:
Biological sciences with special emphasis on tumor metabolism, sensory reception, DNA replication, molecular biology, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology.
Article Title:
Fred Hutch Honors Twelve Outstanding Graduate Students with the 2026 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award
News Publication Date:
February 26, 2026
Web References:
https://www.fredhutch.org/en/faculty-lab-directory/bai-jihong.html
https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2015/04/remembering-harold-weintraub-20-years-later.html
Keywords:
graduate student awards, molecular biology, tumor metabolism, DNA replication, sensory reception, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Harold M. Weintraub Award, biomedical research, interdisciplinary science, cancer biology, biotechnology, immunotherapy
