The research community at Weill Cornell Medical College and its Graduate School of Medical Sciences has a rich history of accomplishments that includes some of the world's foremost basic and clinical research achievements. As a result, our faculty members have been the recipients of an impressive array of awards that recognize their groundbreaking achievements.

We share some historic "firsts" at Weill Cornell as well as of the prestigious awards received by our faculty.

Historic Firsts

1928 Development of the "Pap" test for the early detection of cervical cancer

1946 Synthesis of penicillin

1955 Synthesis of the pituitary hormone oxytocin, used today in childbirth

1965 Clinical introduction of laparoscopy into US gynecological practice

1970 Demonstration that hypertension as a hormonal disease originating in the kidney, and the first to demonstrate the connection between rennin and hypertension

1986 The gene for the human nerve growth factor receptor is cloned and expressed, a major step in understanding human brain growth and development

1987 Structure and origins of the vasodilating molecule nitric oxide discovered

1992 The first successful "embryo biopsy" pregnancy and birth in the US

1995 Demonstration that the human brain has the potential to grow new neurons

1997 Demonstration that the cholesterol-lowering drug, Mevacor, can reduce the risk of heart disease by one-third, even in healthy adults

2002 First clinical trial for gene therapy for Parkinson's disease

2003 First demonstration that Cox-2 inhibitors may boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer

2004 Demonstration that reducing Enlarged Heart Muscle Cuts Patients' Cardiac Risk, Independent of Lowered Blood Pressure

Our Awards

Among the awards received by Weill Cornell Faculty, we proudly include the:

Beckham Young Investigators Award

Dorothy Rodbell Cohen Award

Ellison Medical Foundation Award

Edwin Beer Fellowship Award

Ellen Glesby Hohen Award

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigatorship

Laennec Society Young Clinician Award from American Heart Association

Lawyers' Breast Cancer Group

Mallinckrodt Foundation Research Award

Melvin L. Marcus Young Investigator Award in Cardiovascular Science from American Heart Association

Okamoto Award

Pew Award

Cancer Research Institute Clinical Investigation Award

Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers

Rachele Research Prize

Researcher of the Year Award from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Rita Allen Foundation Award

Lewis and Jack Rudin New York Prize for Medicine and Health

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Young Investigator Award (Mayor's Awards)

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award in the Biomedical Sciences