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MIT Affiliates Receive 2026 Breakthrough Prizes for Advances in Gene Editing, Physics, and Mathematics
The Breakthrough Prize Foundation announced on April 18 2026 that a group of MIT affiliates were awarded the 2026 Breakthrough Prizes in Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics, and Mathematics. The ceremony, held in Los Angeles, honored scientists whose discoveries have significantly advanced human knowledge.
In Life Sciences, Stuart H. Orkin ’67 and Swee Lay Thein received the prize for research that transformed sickle cell disease and beta‑thalassemia from incurable to treatable through gene‑editing therapy. Their work identified the master switch controlling fetal hemoglobin, leading to the development of Casgevy, the first CRISPR‑based medicine approved for any disease. Orkin is a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
Casgevy, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, uses CRISPR/Cas9 to edit hematopoietic stem cells. It was approved in the United Kingdom in November 2023, in Bahrain in December 2023, and in the United States in December 2023 for sickle cell disease and January 2024 for transfusion‑dependent beta‑thalassemia. The therapy is the first FDA‑approved CRISPR‑based gene therapy.
In Fundamental Physics, Shu‑Heng Shao, an assistant professor of physics at MIT and researcher in the MIT Center for Theoretical Physics, shared the 2026 New Horizons in Physics Prize with Clay Córdova, Thomas Dumitrescu, and Yifan Wang. Their collective work discovered and developed the theory of generalized symmetries in quantum field theory, extending the traditional notion of symmetry to higher‑form and non‑invertible symmetries. The prize also went to J. Colin Hill ’08, Dillon Brout, Mathew Madhavacheril, Maria Vincenzi, Daniel Scolnic, and W. L. Kimmy Wu for their measurements of the expansion and composition of the universe, with Hill focusing on analyses of the cosmic microwave background radiation.
In Mathematics, Hong Wang PhD ’19 received the New Horizons in Mathematics Prize for resolving or advancing solutions to a family of challenging problems in harmonic analysis, a branch of mathematics that studies functions by decomposing them into fundamental components.
Additional Life Sciences laureates include Bryan Traynor, a former student in the Harvard‑MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, who shared the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences with Rosa Rademakers for discovering the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia.
The Breakthrough Prizes, founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, award $3 million to each laureate and are presented at a televised gala that has earned the nickname “Oscars of Science.” The 2026 ceremony in Los Angeles followed the tradition of celebrating breakthroughs that drive human knowledge forward.
The recognition of MIT affiliates underscores the institution’s continued impact across disciplines. The awarded research spans from clinical applications that have already reached patients, to theoretical advances that reshape foundational physics and mathematics. The prizes highlight the breadth of scientific progress and the collaborative nature of modern research.
As the field of gene editing continues to evolve, the approval of Casgevy marks a milestone that may pave the way for additional CRISPR‑based therapies. In physics, the generalized symmetry framework is expected to influence future studies in quantum field theory and related areas. In mathematics, advances in harmonic analysis may have implications for signal processing and data analysis. The Breakthrough Prize Foundation’s 2026 laureates exemplify the diverse achievements that define contemporary science.
The 2026 Breakthrough Prizes celebrated MIT affiliates whose work has already impacted patients, expanded theoretical frameworks, and advanced mathematical understanding. The awards, announced at the Los Angeles gala on April 18, reinforce the importance of interdisciplinary research and the continued relevance of the Breakthrough Prize in recognizing transformative scientific achievements.
In Life Sciences, Stuart H. Orkin ’67 and Swee Lay Thein received the prize for research that transformed sickle cell disease and beta‑thalassemia from incurable to treatable through gene‑editing therapy. Their work identified the master switch controlling fetal hemoglobin, leading to the development of Casgevy, the first CRISPR‑based medicine approved for any disease. Orkin is a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
Casgevy, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, uses CRISPR/Cas9 to edit hematopoietic stem cells. It was approved in the United Kingdom in November 2023, in Bahrain in December 2023, and in the United States in December 2023 for sickle cell disease and January 2024 for transfusion‑dependent beta‑thalassemia. The therapy is the first FDA‑approved CRISPR‑based gene therapy.
In Fundamental Physics, Shu‑Heng Shao, an assistant professor of physics at MIT and researcher in the MIT Center for Theoretical Physics, shared the 2026 New Horizons in Physics Prize with Clay Córdova, Thomas Dumitrescu, and Yifan Wang. Their collective work discovered and developed the theory of generalized symmetries in quantum field theory, extending the traditional notion of symmetry to higher‑form and non‑invertible symmetries. The prize also went to J. Colin Hill ’08, Dillon Brout, Mathew Madhavacheril, Maria Vincenzi, Daniel Scolnic, and W. L. Kimmy Wu for their measurements of the expansion and composition of the universe, with Hill focusing on analyses of the cosmic microwave background radiation.
In Mathematics, Hong Wang PhD ’19 received the New Horizons in Mathematics Prize for resolving or advancing solutions to a family of challenging problems in harmonic analysis, a branch of mathematics that studies functions by decomposing them into fundamental components.
Additional Life Sciences laureates include Bryan Traynor, a former student in the Harvard‑MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, who shared the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences with Rosa Rademakers for discovering the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia.
The Breakthrough Prizes, founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, award $3 million to each laureate and are presented at a televised gala that has earned the nickname “Oscars of Science.” The 2026 ceremony in Los Angeles followed the tradition of celebrating breakthroughs that drive human knowledge forward.
The recognition of MIT affiliates underscores the institution’s continued impact across disciplines. The awarded research spans from clinical applications that have already reached patients, to theoretical advances that reshape foundational physics and mathematics. The prizes highlight the breadth of scientific progress and the collaborative nature of modern research.
As the field of gene editing continues to evolve, the approval of Casgevy marks a milestone that may pave the way for additional CRISPR‑based therapies. In physics, the generalized symmetry framework is expected to influence future studies in quantum field theory and related areas. In mathematics, advances in harmonic analysis may have implications for signal processing and data analysis. The Breakthrough Prize Foundation’s 2026 laureates exemplify the diverse achievements that define contemporary science.
The 2026 Breakthrough Prizes celebrated MIT affiliates whose work has already impacted patients, expanded theoretical frameworks, and advanced mathematical understanding. The awards, announced at the Los Angeles gala on April 18, reinforce the importance of interdisciplinary research and the continued relevance of the Breakthrough Prize in recognizing transformative scientific achievements.
