Gilbert S. Omenn, mentor, educator and philanthropist, is the recipient of the 2026 AAAS Philip Hauge Abelson Prize, which honors an individual who has made significant contributions to the advancement of science in the United States through their research, policy work or public service.
Omenn is the Harold T. Shapiro Distinguished University Professor of Medicine, and professor of computational medicine and bioinformatics, of internal medicine, and of human genetics in the Medical School; and professor of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health.
In the 1970s, Omenn served as a White House Fellow at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and recalls Philip Abelson as a “towering figure” in Washington, D.C., science policy circles, where he was both editor-in-chief of Science magazine and president of the Carnegie Institution of Washington.
“Phil was renowned for his editorials on science, technology, education and energy,” Omenn said. “His collection of 100 editorials was titled ‘Enough of Pessimism’, saying ‘it leads nowhere but to paralysis and decay.’ He was critical and he was boldly optimistic.
“I am proud to note that I have met the majority of the 40 previous Abelson Award recipients.”
As a medical student, Omenn discovered a rare and fatal immunodeficiency disorder now called Omenn syndrome. Throughout his career, he has led groundbreaking studies in genetics, molecular biology and cancer prevention, including as a co-founder of the Human Proteome Project.
Omenn went on to serve as associate director of the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy, and chaired the Presidential/Congressional Omenn Commission, which provided the foundation for more rational, transparent and science-based approaches to regulatory decision-making in environmental health. He was elected an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow in 1991 and served as AAAS president in 2006.
He has held many leadership positions at U-M, including serving as executive vice president for medical affairs and as chief executive officer of the University of Michigan Health System from 1997 to 2002. In 2024, Omenn and his wife, Martha A. Darling, made a $25 million gift to the Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics within the Medical School, establishing the first named department at U-M.
