Hestrin Prize

The Hestrin Prize is named in honor of Prof. Shlomo Hestrin (1914, Winnipeg, Canada - 1962, Jerusalem, Israel). Shlomo Hestrin occupies a unique position in the Israeli science for introducing modern enzyme research in Israel. He received his MSc and PhD degrees from the Hebrew University, for investigating the fermentation of di- and polysaccharides under the guidance of Prof Yeshayahu Leibovitz. Later on he developed a hydroxamate method for the determination of active esters and investigated the mechanism of synthesis of cellulose which earned him international standing. Prof. Hestrin was among the prominent biochemists at the Hebrew University and among the founders of the Israel Society of Biochemistry in 1959. Prof. Hestrin's untimely death at the age of 48 left a void in the hearts of those who knew him.

To honor his memory, the Israel Society for Biochemistry (the former name of ISBMB) decided to award a prize in Prof. Hestrin's name to a young Israeli biochemist at the beginning of his/her independent career, in acknowledgement of scientific work performed mainly in Israel. The Prize is presented traditionally at the annual meeting of the Society. The Hestrin Prize was first awarded in 1964, and has been awarded every 1-3 years ever since.

In recent years the identity of the prize recipient is determined by a panel comprised of 6-7 Israeli scientists representing the major universities in Israel (no more than one representative per university).

List of Hestrin Prize Recipients (Partial):

1964
1966
1969
1971
1975
1977
1979
1983
1986

1989
1991
1997
2000
2001
2003
2004
2005

2009

2010

Ohad Itzhak, Hebrew University
Itzhak Steinberg, The Weizmann Institute
Israel Schechter, The Weizmann Institute
Shmuel Shaltiel, The Weizmann Institute
Alexander Levitzki, The Hebrew University
Haim Aviv, The Weizmann Institute
Chaim Cedar, The Hebrew University
Joseph Schlessinger, The Weizmann Institute
Doron Lancet, The Weizmann Institute
and
Varda Shoshan-Barmatz, Ben Gurion University
Amnon Horovitz, Weizmann Institute
Yosef Yarden, The Weizmann Institute
Nissim Benvenisty, The Hebrew University
Karen Avraham, Tel Aviv University
Ari Elson, The Weizmann Institute
Eitan Reuveny, The Weizmann Institute
Mike Fainzilber, The Weizmann Institute
Deborah Fass, The Weizmann Institute

Ehud Gazit, Tel-Aviv University

Yitzhak Pilpel, The Weizmann Institute

Hestrin Prize for Excellence in Biochemical Research 2010

The Israel Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is pleased to solicit nominations for the Hestrin Prize for young researchers, for excellence in biochemical research.

• The Prize (12,000 NIS) will be awarded to an outstanding young researcher, up to age 44, for research done mainly in Israel.

• The researcher must be a member of ISBMB who has paid membership dues for the years 2009 and 2010.

• The Prize will be presented during the 2010 annual meeting of ISBMB, which is scheduled for Thursday, February 4th, 2010, at The Wix Auditorium, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot.

• The Prize recipient will be invited to lecture about his/her research at the meeting.

Required documentation for nomination:

• Curriculum vitae.

• Publication list.

• PDF files of the most outstanding papers (maximum of three papers).

• Two letters of recommendation from researchers in the field describing the achievements of the nominee.

• Documents above should be sent by e-mail to ISBMB secretary, Prof. Orna Elroy Stein

(ornaes@tauex.tau.ac.il ) as PDF files. The subject of the message should be "Hestrin Prize & the name of the nominee".

• THE FINAL DATE FOR RECEIPT OF NOMINATIONS WAS DECEMBER 15, 2009.