Takeda and Nature Announce Call for Applications Now Open for 2026 Innovators in Science Award

Business Wire

27-05-2025

OSAKA, Japan & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Takeda (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) today announced that applications are now open for its Innovators in Science Award. This prestigious global award, originally launched in 2016, celebrates groundbreaking research with a focus on emerging scientific leaders who are advancing the frontiers of scientific discovery and fostering innovation that has the potential to transform lives.
In 2026, the Takeda Innovators in Science Award with Nature will recognize promising early-career scientists in the areas of gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases, neuroscience, and oncology. Takeda will award three category winners – one from each area of focus – with a $75,000 prize. One grand prize winner, to be announced live at the Innovators in Science Award gala on April 9, 2026, will also receive an additional $175,000 award, for a total grand prize of $250,000.
To address challenges that are unique to emerging scientists, category winners and shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in a 12-month career development program administered by Nature. The program will offer training to develop skills such as grant writing, research communication and lab management. Winners will also have access to mentorship opportunities.
As one of the largest prizes of its kind, the Innovators in Science Award reinforces Takeda's commitment to promoting scientific excellence and fostering a culture of partnership between industry and academia.
'Since 2016, our Innovators in Science Award has uplifted researchers who are not afraid of asking big questions, thinking outside the box and doggedly pursuing discoveries to advance science,' said Andrew Plump, M.D., Ph.D., president of R&D at Takeda. 'We are proud to shine a spotlight on rising scientists who are driving bold, transformative breakthroughs in their fields. Through funding, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities, we aim to support their continued professional growth.'
Springer Nature will independently administer the award on behalf of Takeda, with responsibility for reviewing applications and selecting judges and winners.
'For 150 years, Nature has earned the trust of the global research community by publishing groundbreaking advances across all areas of science and technology. We recognize the vital contributions of early-career researchers and are committed to supporting their growth and success,' added Nature's publisher Richard Hughes. 'We are proud to partner with Takeda on the Innovators in Science Award—an initiative designed to celebrate and elevate the work of exceptional early-career scientists. We invite researchers around the world to apply, and we remain dedicated to providing a rigorous evaluation process and amplifying the voices and achievements of the award winners across our platforms."
The Call for Applications is now open at https://www.innovatorsinscienceaward.com/ and will remain open through September 16, 2025. Shortlisted applicants will be announced in January 2026 and category winners will be announced in February 2026, ahead of the live grand prize announcement at the gala on April 9, 2026, in Boston.
About the Innovators in Science Award
Launched in 2016, the Takeda Innovators in Science Award provides scientific leaders with the support and recognition needed to drive bold, transformative breakthroughs in their fields. Since its inception, the award has celebrated the outstanding contributions of 10 established and early career researchers with $2M of unrestricted funding. This global award recognizes researchers who are advancing the frontiers of scientific discovery, fostering innovation that has the potential to transform lives. In 2026, the Innovators in Science Award honors groundbreaking research by early career scientists in gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases, neuroscience and oncology. Past winners include: Elham Azizi, Ph.D., for her innovative models that helped identify determinants of immunotherapy response in leukemia for the first time; Elaine Y. Hsiao, Ph.D., for her discoveries of how the gut microbiome influences the brain and behavior; and Viviana Gradinaru, Ph.D., for enabling targeted gene delivery across the blood-brain barrier for research and clinical purposes. For more information, visit https://innovatorsinscienceaward.com
About Takeda
Takeda is focused on creating better health for people and a brighter future for the world. We aim to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments in our core therapeutic and business areas, including gastrointestinal and inflammation, rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies, oncology, neuroscience and vaccines. Together with our partners, we aim to improve the patient experience and advance a new frontier of treatment options through our dynamic and diverse pipeline. As a leading values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan, we are guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Our employees in approximately 80 countries and regions are driven by our purpose and are grounded in the values that have defined us for more than two centuries. For more information, visit www.takeda.com.
Important Notice
For the purposes of this notice, 'press release' means this document, any oral presentation, any question and answer session and any written or oral material discussed or distributed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ('Takeda') regarding this release. This press release (including any oral briefing and any question-and-answer in connection with it) is not intended to, and does not constitute, represent or form part of any offer, invitation or solicitation of any offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, exchange, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction. No shares or other securities are being offered to the public by means of this press release. No offering of securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom. This press release is being given (together with any further information which may be provided to the recipient) on the condition that it is for use by the recipient for information purposes only (and not for the evaluation of any investment, acquisition, disposal or any other transaction). Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws.
The companies in which Takeda directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this press release, 'Takeda' is sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Takeda and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words 'we', 'us' and 'our' are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and any materials distributed in connection with this press release may contain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions regarding Takeda's future business, future position and results of operations, including estimates, forecasts, targets and plans for Takeda. Without limitation, forward-looking statements often include words such as 'targets', 'plans', 'believes', 'hopes', 'continues', 'expects', 'aims', 'intends', 'ensures', 'will', 'may', 'should', 'would', 'could', 'anticipates', 'estimates', 'projects' or similar expressions or the negative thereof. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements: the economic circumstances surrounding Takeda's global business, including general economic conditions in Japan and the United States; competitive pressures and developments; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; challenges inherent in new product development, including uncertainty of clinical success and decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof; uncertainty of commercial success for new and existing products; manufacturing difficulties or delays; fluctuations in interest and currency exchange rates; claims or concerns regarding the safety or efficacy of marketed products or product candidates; the impact of health crises, like the novel coronavirus pandemic, on Takeda and its customers and suppliers, including foreign governments in countries in which Takeda operates, or on other facets of its business; the timing and impact of post-merger integration efforts with acquired companies; the ability to divest assets that are not core to Takeda's operations and the timing of any such divestment(s); and other factors identified in Takeda's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and Takeda's other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available on Takeda's website at: https://www.takeda.com/investors/sec-filings-and-security-reports/ or at www.sec.gov. Takeda does not undertake to update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule. Past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results or statements of Takeda in this press release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast, guarantee or projection of Takeda's future results.