Their work lays the foundation for the treatment of many diseases, including type-2 diabetes, obesity, and short bowel syndrome, positively impacting more than 400 million people with type-2 diabetes, more than 1 billion people with obesity, and more than 3 million people with short bowel syndrome. In 2023, more than 20 million doses of GLP-1 drugs have been used in the world, with an impressive 6.7% increase in adoption. In addition, the discovery of the peptide’s acting mechanism has promoted research and development of novel treatments for cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which are among the leading causes of death globally.
The 2023 VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators from Developing Countries has honored Indian American Prof. Gurdev Singh Khush and Vietnamese Prof. Vo Tong Xuan for their significant contributions to the invention and advancement of disease-resistant rice varieties, ensuring global food security.
Prof. Solomon gathered credible information about the unusually large hole in the ozone layer caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) in Antarctica, laying the groundwork for proposing and bringing the Montreal Protocol to fruition. This is one of the most successful international accords in tackling global environmental concerns, contributing to a global agreement to phase out ozone-depleting compounds like CFCs. According to released data from 2016, the ozone hole has been reduced by more than 4 million square kilometers since its peak in 2000 and will entirely regenerate in the coming decades. The Montreal Protocol has made a substantial contribution to the protection of the global climate system and is expected to prevent an additional 100-200 billion tons of CO2 emissions by 2050, potentially reducing the global temperature increase from 2-5°C to 0.5°C by 2100.
Commenting on the results of the 2023 VinFuture Prize, Professor Sir Richard Friend, VinFuture Prize Council Chair, stated, “We are very excited to have announced our new VinFuture Prize winners. They have all made huge advances in science and innovation, and these have had real global impact. The Grand Prize recognizes the pioneers in two of the critical technologies we need to achieve zero-carbon energy that are critical if we are to control global warming. The breadth of scope to bring science and innovation to benefit society is huge, as reflected by this year’s three Special Prizes. The vision that the Founders set – to celebrate the potential for discovery and innovation to bring real benefits to societies across the whole globe – is very clearly delivered in the set of this year’s prize winners.”
The spirit of “Boundless Unity” for the benefit of humanity unites the four award-winning projects in a meaningful way. When individual scientific accomplishments synergize, they help to establish a sustainable foundation for humanity. The VinFuture Prize differs from other prestigious international awards in that it recognizes the cross-border collaboration of global scientists.
With the success of the third award season, the VinFuture Prize upholds its reputation among the international scientific community owing to the comprehensiveness, diversity, and fairness of the judging process. The VinFuture Foundation is proud to continue its mission of “Science for Humanity” and inspiring innovation in Vietnamese science and technology, contributing to a prosperous, equitable, and sustainable future for all people worldwide.
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About the VinFuture Prize
The VinFuture Prize is the core activity of the VinFuture Foundation, a non-profit organization established on International Human Solidarity Day on December 20th, 2020, co-founded by billionaire Mr. Pham Nhat Vuong and his wife, Mrs. Pham Thu Huong. The VinFuture Prize aims to recognize transformative scientific and technological innovations capable of making significant positive changes in the lives of millions of people worldwide.
2024 VinFuture Prize Official Call for Nominations
The fourth award season of the VinFuture Prize has now begun, following the 2023 VinFuture Prize’s conclusion. An official call for nominations will be launched from 2:00 p.m. on January 9, 2024 to 2:00 p.m. on April 17, 2023, Hanoi time (GMT+7).
The award honors advances in science and technology that are aligned with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as eradicating poverty, ending hunger, improving health and quality of life, creating opportunities for progressive education, clean water, renewable energy, reducing inequality, and responding to climate change. Nominators can submit their nominations by logging into this portal: https://online.vinfutureprize.org/nomination.
