Awards

Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award

Award Profile:

To recognize an outstanding scientific achievement in diabetes research, taking into consideration the independence of thought, originality, significance of discovery, and impact on their area of research. 

Criteria for Selection (candidates can be peer or self-nominated): 

  • The nominee will have demonstrated significant, independent contribution in their selected area of diabetes research, including diabetes pathogenesis, treatment, and/or prevention.
  • The nominee must be productively engaged in leading-edge diabetes research at the time the award is given. 
  • The nominee must be less than 50 years of age on January 1 of the award year.
  • The nominee must have MD, PhD, MD/PhD, or equivalent.
  • Both U.S. and non-U.S. residents are eligible for the award.
  • Contributions and volunteer service to both national and international diabetes organizations and the broader diabetes community may also be taken into consideration.   

Lecture/Publication of Lecture:

  • The recipient will deliver the Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award Lecture at the 86th Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, LA on June 5–8, 2026. (Must be presented in person.)
  • The recipient will be offered the opportunity to publish the lecture in an American Diabetes Association® (ADA) scientific journal.

Honorarium/Travel/Registration:

  • The recipient receives a $10,000 honorarium.
  • The award includes two round-trip coach airfares and hotel accommodations for the duration of the Scientific Sessions. 
  • The award includes complimentary registration to the Scientific Sessions.

2026 Nomination/Submission Process:

  • Nominations must be submitted using the electronic nomination form. All submissions must be received on or before 8:00 p.m. ET on September 19, 2025. 

  • Nominations are accepted from any ADA professional member.

    All OSAA nominations must have the following documents uploaded as one PDF file:

    • The letter of nomination/support, whether peer or self-nominated, must be no more than 400 words and signed by no more than three individuals. The letter of nomination/support should address criteria for selection.
    • The nominee’s biography.
    • The nominee’s CV with career and publication highlights.
    • An annotated list of the nominees’ five most significant publications.

    Questions? Email Gedeon Topacio, program manager of research & scientific programs, at gtopacio@diabetes.org' (link sends email)'.

Selection: 

The recipient is chosen by the National Scientific & Health Care Achievement Awards Committee and approved by the ADA’s Executive Committee in February 2026. 

2025 Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award

Shingo Kajimura, PhD
 

Previous OSAA Award Recipients:

2024 Stephen C.J. Parker, PhD
2023 Carmella Evans-Molina, MD, PhD
2022 Anna L. Gloyn, DPhil
2021 Kristen J. Nadeau, MD, MS 
2020 Jiandie Lin, PhD
2019 Sadaf Farooqi, MB, ChB (Hons), PhD
2018 Lora K. Heisler, PhD
2017 Gregory R. Steinberg, PhD
2016 Tamas L. Horvath, DVM, PhD
2015 Pere Puigserver, PhD
2014 Joel K. Elmquist, DVM, PhD
2013 Jens C. Brüning, MD
2012 David Altshuler, MD, PhD
2011 Matthias Tschöp, MD
2010 Martin G. Myers, Jr. MD, PhD
2009 Randy J. Seeley, PhD
2008 Matthias von Herrath, MD
2007 Gökhan S. Hotamışlıgil, MD, PhD
2006 Markus Stoffel, MD, PhD
2005 Philipp E. Scherer, PhD
2004 Mark A. Atkinson, PhD
2003 Domenico Accili, MD
2002 Camillo Ricordi, MD
2001 Christopher B. Newgard, PhD

2000 Luciano Rossetti, MD
1999 Morris F. White, PhD
1998 Michael M. Mueckler, PhD
1997 Gerald I. Shulman, MD, PhD
1996 Jeffrey E. Pessin, PhD
1995 Barbara B. Kahn, MD
1994 Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD
1993 Michael A. Brownlee, MD
1992 Simeon Taylor, MD, PhD
1991 Jeffrey S. Flier, MD
1990 Graeme I. Bell, PhD
1989 Richard N. Bergman, PhD
1988 John E. Gerich, MD
1987 Ralph A. DeFronzo, MD
1986 George S. Eisenbarth, MD, PhD
1985 Steven J. Jacobs, MD
1984 Alan D. Cherrington, PhD
1983 Howard S. Tager, PhD
1982 Michael P. Czech, PhD
1981 C. Ronald Kahn, MD
1980 Jerrold M. Olefsky, MD
1979 Leonard S. Jefferson, PhD

1978 J. Denis McGarry, PhD
1977 Peter H. Bennett, MD
1976 Philip Felig, MD
1975 Pedro Cuatrecasas, MD
1974 Jesse Roth, MD
1973 Arthur H. Rubenstein, MD
1972 John H. Exton, PhD
1971 Daniel Porte, Jr., MD
1970 Oscar B. Crofford, MD
1969 Donald F. Steiner, MD
1968 Robert G. Spiro, MD
1967 David M. Kipnis, MD
1966 Norbert Freinkel, MD
1965 George F. Cahill, Jr., MD
1964 Roger H. Unger, MD
1963 James M. B. Bloodworth, Jr., MD
1962 Harry N. Antoniades, PhD 
1961 Rosalyn S. Yalow, PhD 
1960 Albert E. Renold, MD 
1959 Marvin D. Siperstein, MD, PhD 
1958 James B. Field, MD 
1957 Solomon A. Berson, MD