The Jahre prize in 2026 awarded a brain researcher

Professor Kiehn receives the main Jahre prize for his groundbreaking discoveries on the organization of and the function of neural circuits that control movements.

The junior prize is shared between Haikala and Steen. Haikala receives the prize for her groundbreaking studies on mechanisms avoiding therapy resistance in cancer, and Steen receives the prize for her important work to develop bioinformatic tools to understand cell biology.

– My warmest congratulations to all the winners on receiving this important and prestigious Nordic medical prize! Kiehn, Haikala, and Steen have all made an impressive contribution within their respective fields. Their research findings will have great significance for the prevention and treatment of diseases that affect a very large number of people, says Ragnhild Hennum, Rector of the University of Oslo.

The Anders Jahre Awards for Medical Research 2026 will be awarded on 5 November in the University aula in Oslo.

Relevant to ALS and Parkinson´s disease

Professor Kiehn has worked on how the brain controls movements. He has made fundamental discoveries on how neuronal circuits function to choose, maintain, adjust and terminate the many movements of our body. His works have demonstrated how the circuits in the spinal cord and brain stem are organised and how the interplay between the brain and the spinal cord functions.

– It came as a great surprise when I received the call about the Jahre Prize. I am deeply honoured, happy, and proud to receive this award. It means a great deal to me because it celebrates curiosity-driven science in the field I represent. It is a major recognition of the motor field, of the insights it has provided into how the nervous system functions and creates complex behaviour, and of the many people whose contributions have made this work possible, says Kiehn.

His discoveries have impact on how we understand and will be able to treat movement disorders like ALS and Parkinson’s disease as well as spasticity that can occur after injuries of the spinal cord.

The Anders Jahre Prize for Young Scientists

Heidi Haikala, who works at the University of Helsinki, receives the Anders Jahre Prize for Young Scientists for her work on mechanisms of cancer drugs – what makes the drugs stop working so that this problem can be prevented and to find new targets for therapy.

– I am extremely grateful to receive the Anders Jahre Prize for Young Scientists. While the award is given to an individual, the work behind it reflects the efforts of many people. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by talented colleagues, mentors, students, and collaborators who have challenged and reshaped my thinking. This recognition is encouraging for our mission to tackle drug resistance and improve outcomes for cancer patients. I appreciate the opportunity to continue building on this work together with our exceptional team, says Haikala.

She shares the prize with Chloé B. Steen, who works at Oslo University Hospital and the University of Oslo. Steen has developed advanced bioinformatic tools to characterise cells in tissues. Importantly, these tools have deepened our understanding of how cellular composition can influence cancer.

– I am truly honoured to have been selected as a recipient of the Anders Jahre Prize for Young Scientists. The prize recognises the entire research environment I am part of, including my fantastic mentors and collaborators, who have all helped shape my development as a scientist. I am also proud that it further puts computational biology and bioinformatics on the map. The prize highlights that these fields are crucial for linking complex datasets with clinical outcomes, and for revealing insights that can ultimately benefit patients, says Steen.

Read more about Chloé B. Steen and her research (Norwegian only)