From COVID-19 to Typhoid: 2026 Sabin Awards Spotlight Vaccine Pioneers

The 2026 Sabin Awards will honor three scientists advancing global health through vaccines, from pandemic response to childhood disease prevention. Professor Uğur Şahin, MD, and Professor Özlem Türeci, MD, will receive the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal for their role in turning the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic and their efforts to support access to novel medicines globally. Dr. Senjuti Saha of Bangladesh will receive the 2026 Rising Star Award for using genomics to inform the rollout of the world's largest typhoid vaccine program, protecting millions of children. The honorees will be recognized on May 12, 2026, at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C.

Professors Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci, who are both business and life partners, are being awarded the Sabin Gold Medal for the development of their ground-breaking COVID-19 vaccine and their steadfast dedication to supporting medicine access through innovative technologies they have been pioneering for decades. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, they leveraged the technology they had been researching and developing originally for oncology applications and pivoted their company's focus to develop a COVID-19 vaccine in record time that helped protect billions of lives. Driven by the mission to improve the health of people worldwide, Sahin and Türeci continue to advance the development of vaccine candidates based on this innovative technology against diseases of major relevance to millions of people worldwide, including tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria. In addition, their dedication extends beyond developing medical innovations. They are working along the entire research and development chain to make a difference for communities: Together with their team and partners, they are leading efforts to contribute to build a sustainable and resilient vaccine ecosystem in Africa, for Africa.

"We are deeply honored to receive the 2026 Sabin Gold Medal. Albert Sabin's conviction that scientific breakthroughs only truly matter when they reach the people has been a lasting source of inspiration for us. We firmly believe that innovative medicines must be accessible to those who need them most. This award is a testament to a collaborative effort, recognizing the dedication of our teams and partners around the world who walk this journey with us and share a deep sense of commitment to improving health," said Professors Şahin and Türeci in a joint statement.

"Together, Professors Şahin and Türeci have helped reshape the future of vaccines, demonstrating how scientific entrepreneurship can translate cutting-edge research into global public health impact," said Sabin CEO Amy Finan. "The Sabin Gold Medal recognizes their extraordinary contribution for accelerating lifesaving vaccines and their commitment to vaccine access and equity."

This year's Rising Star Awardee, Dr. Senjuti Saha, generates critical evidence for major national immunization initiatives, including Bangladesh's 2025 typhoid conjugate vaccine campaign that has already reached more than 40 million children. As Deputy Executive Director of the Child Health Research Foundation (CHRF), she helped build one of the country's leading genomic laboratories. The lab has sequenced thousands of pathogen genomes to improve outbreak detection and inform vaccine development for diseases such as Klebsiella and RSV. Her work also emphasizes developing local scientific leadership and mentoring the next generation of researchers.

"This award is incredibly meaningful to me because it reflects years of work by an extraordinary community in Bangladesh and shows that great science can grow anywhere people are determined to solve problems together," said Dr. Saha.

"Dr. Senjuti Saha exemplifies the next generation of scientific leadership," said Finan. "She understands that her work doesn't stop in the laboratory or with a published paper. To improve and protect community health, she uses data and evidence to advocate for strong vaccine policy."

The Sabin Awards Ceremony, which will take place May 12 at the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C., will be livestreamed.

The Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal and Rising Star Award, awarded since 1993 and 2020 respectively, celebrate Dr. Sabin's legacy of ensuring vaccine access for all.