The late Vincent Cristofalo devoted his professional career equally to two pursuits: Doing aging research, and encouraging younger scientists to investigate important problems in the biology of aging. Vince set an example of wise leadership, sophisticated judgment, and solid accomplishment that remain an inspiration to all who knew him.

In his honor, the American Federation for Aging Research established the Vincent Cristofalo "Rising Star" Award in Aging Research. The award will be held annually in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Aging Association (AGE). The winner will have an opportunity to give a talk on his/her research work at a special symposium at the AGE meeting.

Criteria for selection: the Cristofalo awardee should be a research scientist in an early or middle phase of his/her career. The candidate should have already made major discoveries in the fundamental biology of aging and whose work is deemed likely to be highly influential for decades to come. The typical candidate would be at the level of an Associate Professor or its equivalent although, in unusual cases, Assistant Professors may qualify.

The selection committee should be able to cite a series of research papers, recently published in highly regarded professional journals that have already led to important surprises and already begun to modulate our understanding of fundamental aspects of the genetics, cell biology, or molecular processes of aging. The awardees' work should have acquired sufficient momentum, i.e. sufficient speed and direction, to convince the selection committee that discoveries of equal prominence and influence will continue to emerge for many years to come. Scientists who have been well known for many years are not ideal as candidates for the Cristofalo award, because the award is instead intended specifically to honor researchers who are in the "rising star" stage of their career trajectories: people who are already highly respected by experts, but whose ascension to national and international eminence is easy to predict but not yet complete.

Nominations for this award are by invitation only.

Honorees

2012
Anne Brunet, PhD
Stanford University

2011
Matt Kaeberlein, PhD
University of Washington

2010
Andrew Dillin, PhD
Salk Institute for Biological Sciences

2009
Brian Kennedy, PhD
Buck Institute for Age Research

2008
Ana Maria Cuervo, MD, PhD
Albert Einstein College of Medicine