Magnetic muon measurements and gene-therapy advances win US$3 million Breakthrough prizes

$3 million prize goes to duo whose research led to first sickle cell CRISPR therapy

Dr. Swee Lay Thein and Dr. Stuart Orkin won the $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for their work toward a functional cure for the deadly blood disorders sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.

BREAKTHROUGH PRIZE ANNOUNCES 2026 LAUREATES

Six $3 Million Prizes Awarded for Outstanding Discoveries in Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics and Mathematics Gene Therapies for Inherited Blindness, Sickle...

Physicists share the glory and the wealth after winning $3M for exploring muon mysteries

A University of Washington professor and hundreds of others who measured the muon's magnetism have won a $3 million Breakthrough Prize.

Magnetic muon measurements and gene-therapy advances win US$3 million Breakthrough prizes

This year’s winners include hundreds of physicists across more than 30 institutions. This year’s winners include hundreds of physicists across more than 30 institutions.

Muon detectives share the Breakthrough Prize glory

University of Washington physicist David Hertzog can’t wait to find out how hundreds of researchers who worked on a geeky project known as the Muon g-2 Collaboration will react when they hear they’ve each won thousands of dollars for that work. The money is coming from this year’s $3 million Breakthrough Prize for fundamental physics, which was awarded tonight during a gala ceremony in Los Angeles. Hertzog and his colleagues decided that the pri…