Time to Nominate for the Hjärnäpplet Innovation Prize 2026
Who will receive the Hjärnäpplet Innovation Prize in 2026? The prize recipients from the past three years are: Ola Spjuth, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences; Alireza Malehmir, Department of Earth Sciences; and Inger Persson, Department of Statistics. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt, Marcus Holmqvist.
Would you like to highlight a colleague who has helped transform research insights into innovation and societal benefit? Take the opportunity to submit a nomination for the Hjärnäpplet Innovation Prize. The nomination period runs until 15 April 2026.
Submit your nomination for Hjärnäpplet no later than 15 April 2026.
Each year, Uppsala University awards the Hjärnäpplet Innovation Prize to recognise innovators within the research community. The prize highlights and rewards efforts to translate research results into new solutions with the potential to generate societal value.
Last year’s recipient was Ola Spjuth, Professor of Pharmaceutical Bioinformatics. His work demonstrates how advanced automation and artificial intelligence can be transformed into practical benefit for both research and society. Together with his team, he has developed and commercialised an AI‑driven robotic pharmaceutical lab that enables large‑scale, reliable experiments to streamline drug development and safety testing.
Nominations from all disciplinary domains are encouraged
The Hjärnäpplet Innovation Prize aims to reflect the University’s breadth, innovative capacity, and commitment to a sustainable future. Nominations from all scientific fields are therefore equally important and warmly welcomed.
All members of staff at Uppsala University may nominate one or more candidates for the prize, which consists of a diploma, a statuette, and a grant of SEK 50,000. The prize is presented during the University’s anniversary celebration in October.
Don’t miss the chance to recognise researchers or doctoral students who have helped translate knowledge into, for example, a new product or service with the potential to make a real difference in society.
Nominations for the Hjärnäpplet Innovation Prize are open from 15 March to 15 April 2026. We look forward to receiving your nomination!
Sara Gredemark