Dear Colleagues,
Over the course of the past half century, Emory researchers have made vital discoveries in the field of adaptive immunity that have paved the way for current immunology research and clinical advances. In an effort to recognize one of those researchers and reward others in the field who are contributing to the advancement of immunology, I am honored to announce, on behalf of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center, the creation of the Emory Max Cooper Prize in Immunology.
The $100,000 prize will be an annual award honoring Dr. Max D. Cooper, whose historic discoveries have forever changed our understanding of the adaptive immune system. Available to national and international candidates across the spectrum of immunology, the prize will be awarded in the fall of 2024. Nominations for the inaugural prize will be open between November 1 and April 1 with the prize being presented in September.
Max Cooper, PhD, joined the Emory faculty in 2008. He is a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and a member of the Emory Vaccine Center and the Center for AIDS Research. He is best known for characterizing T cells and B cells, a breakthrough which has fueled many lifesaving advances in basic research and medicine. In 2019, Dr. Cooper received the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, a distinguished honor recognizing researchers with contributions that represent major advances in medical science, which frequently precedes a Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Dr. Cooper’s seminal discoveries and contributions to the field of immunology have saved countless lives. Many of the advancements in the field today would not be possible without his foundational work, so it’s only fitting that his name adorn this prestigious prize.
Please visit the Emory Max Cooper Prize in Immunology web site for more information about Dr. Cooper and the award.
Kind regards,
Ravi
Ravi I. Thadhani, MD, MPH
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Emory University
Executive Director, Woodruff Health Sciences Center
Vice Chair, Emory Healthcare Board of Directors
Please direct questions and comments to evphafeedback@emory.edu. | 
