July 10, 2020
Oliver “Ollie” Harrison, DPhil, Principal Investigator at Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI), was recently awarded the NOSTER Science Microbiome Prize by Science Magazine, earning the opportunity to have his winning essay featured in Science Magazine.
Dr. Harrison’s essay was about commensal-specific T cells and tissue repair, based on his work at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) prior to joining the faculty at BRI. This is the first year this prize was offered, and Dr. Harrison’s essay was chosen from among a significant number of high-quality entries.
“Dr. Harrison’s receipt of this award, and his motivation for entering this competition, showcase the caliber of researcher we attract to our institute,” says BRI President Jane Buckner, MD. “We’re so pleased this promising young scientist brought his unique skillset and passion for problem solving to our recently launched Gut Immunity Program. And, the BRI faculty join me in congratulating him on this major accomplishment.”
Originally from the UK, Dr. Harrison received his Master's degree in Pharmacology from the University of Bath, and his DPhil in Infection, Immunology and Translational Medicine from the University of Oxford. He completed his post-doctoral studies at the National Institutes of Health, studying tissue immunity and T cell responses to healthy skin microbes. He joined BRI in 2019, and is currently an assistant member in the Center for Fundamental Immunology and one of three researchers leading BRI’s Gut Immunity Program.
The NOSTER Science Microbiome Prize rewards innovative research by young investigators working on the functional attributes of the microbiota of any organism that has potential to contribute to our understanding of human or veterinary health and disease or to guide therapeutic interventions. The competition is run by Science Magazine, which is published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Dr. Harrison’s winning essay, titled, “Poised for Tissue Repair,” will be featured in the July 10th issue of Science Magazine (print and online). He also received a $25,000 cash prize; a free five-year digital subscription to Science Magazine; and he will be honored at a virtual award ceremony in September, usually held in-person in Washington DC.