Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, a senior group leader and head of Janelia’s 4D Cellular Physiology research area, has been awarded the 2023 Dickson Prize in Science from Carnegie Mellon University for her pioneering work in live-cell imaging and organelle dynamics.

The Dickson Prize in Science recognizes substantial achievements or sustained progress in the fields of the natural sciences, engineering, computer science, or mathematics. It has been awarded annually since 1970.

Lippincott-Schwartz was recognized for her decades of work in cell biology, including the development of groundbreaking techniques in live-cell imaging and pioneering research that led to a new, dynamic view of subcellular organization. In an announcement on their website, Carnegie Mellon noted that Lippincott-Schwartz has “changed the very foundations of modern cell biology and her innovations in imaging have fueled new discoveries. Working across disciplines, she has brought about a paradigm shift in how we view the functioning of the cell, transforming the cornerstones of modern cell biology.”

Lippincott-Schwartz came to Janelia as a group leader in 2016 after 23 years as Chief of the Section on Organelle Biology in the Cell Biology and Metabolism Program in the Division of Intramural Research at the National Institutes of Health. She was named Head of Janelia’s newest research area, 4D Cellular Physiology, in 2023. Lippincott-Schwartz is a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine, and an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the European Molecular Biology Organization.

Lippincott-Schwartz will receive her award and present the annual Dickson Prize in Science lecture February 15 at Carnegie Mellon. The award ceremony and lecture will be recorded and posted to the Carnegie Mellon website in the days following the event.