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NEI Grantee Receives Prestigious Award in Biophysics

Dr. King-Wai Yau

Dr. King-Wai Yau, long-time NEI grantee, received the Alexander Hollaender Award in Biophysics for 2013. The award is presented every three years by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to recognize outstanding contributions in the field.

Dr. Yau is a professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He has published seminal papers on how light is first translated by neurons in the eye for vision. His work has contributed to our understanding of the light-transmitting mechanisms in retinal rods and cones as well as retinal ganglion cells. In addition, he has identified systems that impact circadian rhythm and has helped explain why we can see only certain wavelengths of light.

The NAS will honor Dr. Yau and 17 other individuals with awards in recognition of their outstanding scientific achievements at their annual meeting in April.

Read the National Academy of Science press release

Posted: January 11, 2013