About the WORLDSymposium™ Roscoe O. Brady Award
The Roscoe O. Brady Award is given annually by WORLDSymposium to recognize one individual for outstanding innovation and accomplishment in the field of lysosomal disease research and therapy. Dr. Brady was the third recipient of the “Award for Innovation and Accomplishment.” After decades of research on the biology and biochemistry of lysosomal diseases, Dr. Brady undertook experimental administration of exogenous proteins to replace the patients’ genetic enzyme deficiencies. His ongoing work led to many discoveries in the field, mentoring and inspiring numerous other investigators.
In the process of treating three patients with Gaucher disease, biomarkers were discovered and validated. His work ultimately resulted in FDA approval (1991) and commercialization of the first “enzyme replacement therapy” (ERT). This was an intravenous biologic medication alglucerase for Gaucher disease, the human enzyme purified from massive quantities of normal human placenta. This landmark accomplishment was followed by approval of imiglucerase made using recombinant DNA technology. Later in his career, Dr. Brady investigated substrate depletion treatment, molecular chaperone therapy, and gene therapy for patients with lysosomal disorders.
After a lifetime (October 11, 1923 – June 13, 2016) with decades of work in the field, and with the approval from his family, the WORLDSymposium award for innovation and accomplishment was renamed in his honor at the WORLDSymposium 2018 meeting.
Nominations are solicited annually, from which one individual is selected by the Awards Committee. The awardee is announced in the February “Lysosomes Issue” of Molecular Genetics and Metabolism and is invited to accept the award and address the audience with a featured presentation at the annual WORLDSymposium meeting.
Award Nominations Deadline: September 3, 2025.
Past Award Recipients:
2004 William Krivit, MD, PhD
2006 Henri A. Termeer
2008 Roscoe O. Brady, MD
2009 Elizabeth F. Neufeld, PhD
2010 William S. Sly, MD
2011 Steven U. Walkley, PhD
2012 John J. Hopwood, PhD
2013 Robert J. Desnick, PhD, MD
2014 Gregory A. Grabowski, MD
2015 Stephen C. Groft, PharmD
2016 Emil D. Kakkis, MD, PhD
2017 Konrad Sandhoff, PhD
2018 Mark E. Haskins, VMD, PhD
2019 Danilo A. Tagle, PhD, MS
2020 John F. Crowley
2021 Ellen Sidransky, MD
2022 Stuart A. Kornfeld, MD
2023 William A. Gahl, MD, PhD
2024 Elsa Shapiro, PhD
2025 James M. Wilson, MD, PhD