2026 Elaine Redding Brinster Prize honors breakthrough in immune system research
Penn’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine recognizes Zhijian ‘James’ Chen, PhD, for his discovery of the DNA-sensing enzyme cGAS.
The Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has awarded the Elaine Redding Brinster Prize in Science or Medicine to Zhijian ‘James’ Chen, PhD, a biochemist at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas—for his groundbreaking discovery of the DNA-sensing enzyme cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGas) and its role in immune and inflammatory response.
Chen’s 2012 discovery of the cGAS enzyme shed light on a new area of science by showing how our immune system spots harmful DNA from germs, like bacteria or viruses, and starts fighting them. He found that cGAS grabs onto this DNA and creates a signal (called cGAMP) that wakes up the body to produce immune chemicals to attack infections and cancers. However, this same process can go wrong and cause diseases like lupus, arthritis, or Alzheimer’s when the body’s own DNA gets into the wrong place. Chen’s discovery of this process offers new possibilities for treatments to help people with these and other conditions, including cancer.
“Dr. Chen’s discovery has opened up a foundational understanding of how cells combat invaders that cause human ailments,” said Ken Zaret, PhD, director of Penn’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the Joseph Leidy Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology in the Perelman School of Medicine. “We are thrilled that the Brinster Prize is now in its fifth year and growing acclaim for bringing attention to the creative work of the world's best scientists like Dr. Chen.”
About the Brinster Prize
The prize, supported by an endowment from the children of Elaine Redding Brinster, is awarded annually to a researcher whose discovery has made a unique impact on biomedicine. Each winner receives $200,000, a commemorative medal, and an invitation to present a lecture at the University of Pennsylvania.
“When our children established the Elaine Redding Brinster Prize in Science or Medicine five years ago to honor their mother’s profound contributions to our family’s achievements, their intention and hope was to recognize and encourage talented scientists whose work demonstrates excellence and innovation,” said Ralph L. Brinster, VMD, PhD, the Richard King Mellon Professor of Reproductive Physiology and National Medal of Science recipient. “This year’s recipient, Zhijian “James” Chen, eminently exemplifies these characteristics through his groundbreaking research which has advanced both scientific understanding and clinical possibilities.”
“I am extremely honored and humbled to be selected as the fifth recipient of the Elaine Redding Brinster Prize. This prize is very special not only because Dr. Ralph Brinster is one of my scientific heroes but also because it epitomizes the key role of family support in the success of a scientist. I, myself, have benefited from the strong support of my family, as well as my colleagues and mentors,” said Chen. “This prize is a recognition of the hard work and dedication of the researchers, trainees and staff members in my lab who have contributed to the discoveries of cGAS and other molecules involved in our body’s immune defense.”
A Professor of Molecular Biology and Director of the Center for Inflammation Research at UT Southwestern, Chen is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. His past honors include the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award (2024), the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize (2023), and the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (2018).
Chen will accept the prize on March 18, 2026, as part of the day-long Ralph L. Brinster Symposium at Penn’s Philadelphia campus. The symposium will feature eminent speakers from across the biomedical sciences, including Paola Arlotta, PhD, of Harvard University; Helen Blau, PhD, of Stanford University; Kevan Shokat, PhD, of UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley; and Anne Brunet, PhD, of Stanford University.
The Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine is dedicated to researching cells and tissues with an eye toward turning the knowledge gained into new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and tools. A member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research’s (ISSCR) Circle of Stem Cell Institute and Center Directors, the institute features faculty from five schools across the University of Pennsylvania and includes representation from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Wistar Institute.