Deadline Approaching on Stem Cell Person of the Year Awards

Only six more days remain to submit nominations for the Stem Cell Person of the Year.

This is the contest run by UC Davis stem cell researcher Paul Knoepfler, who will give the winner $1,000 of his own, personal cash.

The criteria are nearly wide open although Knoepfler is looking for the “most influential” person in the field. He wrote on his blog,

“Nominees can be almost anyone ranging from an advocate to an academic or industry scientist to a stem cell biotech leader to a policy maker to a physician…think outside the box! Surprise me!”

Knoepfler initiated the contest last year. The 2012 winner was Roman Reed, a San Francisco Bay Area patient advocate.

Knoepfler reported today on his blog that he has received two dozen nominations so far. He is planning on opening up the selection of the semi-finalists to online voting from the list that will be published in early October. Last year he selected the semi-finalists himself.

As for the names he has received so far, Knoepfler said,

“This group of nominees is very diverse, far more so than last year, and includes more scientists and physicians.”

Nominations should be sent to knoefpler@ucdavis.edu. More information about the rules can be found here.