Mirzaei-Varzeghani, an Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch in Tehran, is among the first recipients of this newly established medal in the biennial science festival.
The Mustafa Prize, founded in 2012, is considered one of the most prestigious science and technology awards in the Islamic world.
Since 2015, the awards have been presented biennially to outstanding researchers in three main categories: Life and Medical Science and Technology, Information and Communication Science and Technology, and Basic and Engineering Sciences.
The prize, worth $500,000, is awarded to scientific achievements that improve human life, push the boundaries of knowledge, or introduce new methodologies.
Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Mustafa Prize scientific committee, explained that the new award category—the Young Scientist Medal—was introduced in 2023, building on the experience of five previous rounds of the Mustafa Prize.
“This medal is awarded biennially to elite young individuals under the age of 40 whose innovative and impactful work contributes to the betterment of human life,” Salehi said.
The medal was established by the Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation, with the support of endowments from two distinguished scientists: Professor Ugur Sahin and Professor Omid Farokhzad, Mustafa Prize laureates. Both donated their awards to launch the initiative.
“Recognizing young scientists and honoring their scientific and technological achievements is not merely a gesture of appreciation—it is an investment that heralds the rise of Islamic civilization,” Salehi noted in his remarks.
According to Salehi, this year’s evaluation process was highly competitive, with 1,002 scientific and technological dossiers submitted to the award secretariat across three main fields: 207 in information and communication science and technology, 81 in biological and medical science and technology, and 714 in basic sciences and engineering.
Each winner of the Young Scientist Medal receives both a certificate of recognition and a cash prize of $10,000.
MNA