The Overton Prize was established by the ISCB in memory of G. Christian Overton, a major contributor to the field of bioinformatics and a member of the ISCB Board of Directors who died unexpectedly in 2000. The annual prize is awarded for outstanding accomplishment to a scientist in the early to mid-career stage (up to a decade post-degree or equivalent experience), who has already made a significant contribution to the field of computational biology.
ISCB recognizes that career paths may take many forms and that the definition of “early/mid-career” is fluid; supports researchers taking time off for maternity/paternity, care for a family member, an event of personal disability or other factors. A nominee may qualify for the Overton Prize even though their actual years since degree is above the set threshold. It is the responsibility of the nominator to indicate any time-off taken by the nominee when submitting the nomination form. ISCB may deduct the equivalent time for the maternity/paternity leave, care for a family member or personal disability from the set award thresholds using guidance established by the European Research Council (page 19, paragraph 5).
2022 ISCB Overton Prize: TBD
Past ISCB Award Recipients
2021 - Barbara Engelhardt
2020 - Jian Peng
2019 - Christophe Dessimoz
2018 - Cole Trapnell
2017 - Christoph Bock
2016 - Debora Marks
2015 - Curtis Huttenhower
2014 - Dana Pe'er
2013 - Goncalo Abecasis
2012 - Ziv Bar-Joseph
2011 - Olga Troyanskaya
2010 - Steven E. Brenner
2009 - Trey Ideker
2008 - Aviv Regev
2007 - Eran Segal
2006 - Mathieu Blanchette
2005 - Ewan Birney
2004 - Uri Alon
2003 - Jim Kent
2002 - David Baker
2001 - Christopher B. Burge