The 20th edition of BioAsia - the marquee healthcare and Life Sciences event, organised by the Government of Telangana, has announced that the coveted Genome Valley Excellence Award for the year 2023 will be conferred upon Prof. Robert S. Langer, in light of his pioneering research that has led to the development of the first commercial mRNA vaccines used for variety of infectious diseases.

Langer is currently the David H. Koch Institute Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. He is also being acknowledged for his exemplary research in human health, including the detection, monitoring, and treatment of cancer.

A veteran in his field, his remarkable contributions to biomedical and therapeutic research include developing long-term and controlled-release drug delivery systems used for a variety of applications including cancer therapy, insulin and vaccines. 

As the director of the eponymous Langer Labs, he works at the intersection of biotechnology and material science and his research helped lay foundation for the underlying delivery mechanism that led to the development of the first commercial mRNA vaccines. In 2010, he co-founded Moderna, the biotech company that came to prominence for developing an mRNA vaccine against COVID-19.

He is also prolific in the scientific community having authored more than 1,500 scientific papers, making him the most-cited engineer in history. In addition, he is also a serial entrepreneur being instrumental in starting more than 40 companies and is a recipient of numerous awards including the Queen Elizabeth prize for Engineering.