History
Pfizer establishes the "Foundation Pfizer Research Prize" in 1991 as an expression of Pfizer's commitment to medical research. In 1992, the foundation awarded the research prize for the first time.
For the first four years, the Foundation awards the research prize exclusively in the field of cardiovascular disease. In 1995, the Foundation board and the benefactors decide to expand the award to include the fields of neuroscience and neurology, infectious diseases, rheumatology and immunology. In 2008, the field of oncology was added and in 2016 the field of pediatrics.
To date, over 400 scientists have received the award.
In 2025, the Research Prize is relaunched with a new concept, adding the category of Digital Health to the categories in biomedicine.
Pfizer Switzerland is very proud to support the Swiss research landscape since more than three decades and looks forward to future innovations researched and developed in Switzerland.
We can’t wait to announce the awardees in January 2026!
3 Categories
Independent scientific committees evaluate projects in the following three categories:
Oncology
Infectious Diseases/Immunology
Digital Health
Prize Money
A total of 100,000 Swiss francs in prize money is awarded. The Pfizer Research Prize honors five outstanding projects: two in Oncology, two in Infectious Diseases/Immunology (both in basic and clinical research), and one in Digital Health. Each awarded project receives 20,000 Swiss francs.
Foundation Board
The Foundation board awards the Pfizer Research Prize based on applications from the scientific committees, who independently assess the projects.
Members of the Foundation board are:
Dr. med. Eva Graf, Pfizer AG
President of the Foundation board
Prof. Freddy Radtke, EPFL
Vice-President of the Foundation board
Sabine Bruckner, Pfizer AG
Martina Müller, Pfizer AG
Scientific Committees
Oncology
Prof. Freddy Radtke
Lausanne
Infectious Diseases/Immunology
Prof. Huldrych Günthard
Zürich
Digital Health
TBD
TBD
2024
Mar
TBD
