Nature Awards

MDx Impact Grants

The MDx Impact Grants aim to unlock the potential of PCR to democratise access to accurate diagnostic tests that improve patient outcomes, supported by Seegene and Springer Nature. The yearly programme provides researchers with access to Seegene’s syndromic PCR technology and development grants of up to 600,000 USD to perform clinical studies. 

In partnership with Seegene

Applications: Open

Microbiome Accelerator

The Microbiome Accelerator is an innovative partnership with Seed Health, designed to support microbiome researchers who want to use a discovery to make a positive impact on human health outcomes. Designed to prepare researchers for the whole of the translation process, the program offers the tools, training/mentorship, and connections to plan the translation of groundbreaking research into clinical reality.

In partnership with Seed Health

Applications: Opens 2025

Inclusive Health Research

Inclusive Health Research champions the importance of working hand-in-hand with patients, communities and health workers in shaping the research that affects their lives. Established in partnership with Takeda, the programme is all about recognizing the inclusive approach and pioneering methods that generate maximum impact and deliver maximum health equity. Year on year, the IHR programme builds a best practice toolkit that anyone can draw on.

In partnership with Takeda

Applications: Opens 2025

Inspiring Women in Science

Inspiring Women in Science has two missions. It celebrates the awe-inspiring achievements of early career women researchers, and it champions the vital work of projects that encourage girls and young women to engage with STEM subjects and stay in STEM careers around the world. IWIS has been supported by The Estée Lauder Companies ever since its launch in 2018.

In partnership with The Estée Lauder Companies

Applications: Opens 2025

The Spinoff Prize

The Spinoff Prize is designed to identify and promote university spinout companies based on outstanding, innovative research. Created with the support of Merck, The Spinoff Prize screens and evaluates their scientific foundations, scrutinizes their business plans and interrogates their founders. Then we actively promote the select few who have impressed our judges the most.

In partnership with Merck

Applications: Opens 2025

Science in Shorts

Naturebelieves in sharing the results of research as widely as possible, and that includes reaching the public as well as the research community. Nature Awards and Merck set up the Science in Shorts Challenge to encourage researchers, including you, to have a go at explaining one key aspect of their work in a 1-minute video. The audience is everyone. The goal is to inform, engage, and entertain. The challenge is helping us to build a brilliant public library of shorts for anyone to enjoy.

In partnership with Merck

Applications: Opens 2025

Mentoring in Science

Celebrating outstanding support and mentorship in science since 2005, the Nature Awards for Mentoring in Science recognise those who support early career researchers in their career development. Focused on a different country or region each year, this year’s award focused on mentors in West Africa (as defined by the UN), and invited former mentees to nominate a mentor who made a significant contribution to their careers.

Applications: Opens 2025

The John Maddox Prize

The John Maddox PrizeStanding Up For Sciencerecognizes researchers who stand up and speak out for science and evidence-based policy, effectively advancing public discussion around difficult topics, despite challenges or hostility, and successfully making a change in public discourse or policy.

In partnership with Sense about Science

Applications: Opens 2025

Rising Scholars: Breast Cancer

Rising Scholars: Breast Cancer is a new partnership between Nature Portfolio and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF); it provides training and mentoring for a cohort of cancer researchers from Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and underrepresented communities from around the world.

In partnership with Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Applications: Closed

Sony Women in Technology Award withNature

Women make up less than a third of technology roles in the global workforce; together, Sony andNaturewill use this award to champion three promising women researchers every year, supporting crucial phases in their research and career development. The programme is designed for outstanding early to mid-career women researchers in technology (including science, engineering and mathematics) whose work is driving positive impact on society and the planet.

In partnership with Nature

Applications: Opens 2025

Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators

Naturesupports the Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators. Launched in 1995, the annual award is given to a young scientist who is chosen by an independent scientific panel. The award acknowledges
outstanding contributions to biomedical research in Europe.

In partnership with Nature

Applications: Opens October 2024

The Global Grants for Gut Health

Global Grants for Gut Health is a competitive grant programme for investigator-initiated research into the human gut microbiota, supported by Yakult and Nature Research. The scope of the programme varies each year and considers proposals for one-year research projects that advance understanding of the impact of the gut microbiota on human health.

In partnership with Yakult

Applications: Opens June 2025