2026 Yergin Family International Prize for Biomedical Research: Napoleone Ferrara, MD, Celebrating the Discovery That Changed How We Treat Cancer and Blindness

Celebrating the Discovery That Changed How We Treat Cancer and Blindness The Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology at Mount Sinai is proud to award the 2026 Yergin Family International Prize in Biomedical Research to Napoleone Ferrara, MD, Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Hildyard Endowed Chair in Eye Diseases at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Ferrara discovered vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a master regulator of blood vessel growth, and showed that it drives the abnormal vessels that feed tumors and damage the retina. That insight led to bevacizumab for cancer and ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other retinal diseases. Today anti-VEGF therapy is a standard of care, and millions of patients worldwide have preserved or regained their sight. Join us on Wednesday, November 18, for the Translational Medicine Symposium from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, then return at 3:00 pm for the Award Ceremony and Dr. Ferrara’s Distinguished Lecture titled VEGF and Angiogenesis: A Journey of Discovery and Clinical Translation.It’s a rare chance to hear firsthand how fundamental biology became a transformative medicine and we look forward to seeing you there!