Overview

• Dr. Ananda Bandyopadhyay, a US-based physician originally from Kolkata, and Professor Pierre Van Damme of the University of Antwerp were jointly awarded the 2025 IVI–SK Bioscience Park MahnHoon Award.
• The award recognizes their pioneering work in the development and deployment of a novel oral polio vaccine, a significant advancement in global disease eradication efforts.
• Dr. Bandyopadhyay has played a key role in India's polio elimination and measles surveillance initiatives, contributing to the country's polio-free status since 2014.
• The International Vaccine Institute, the only global organization dedicated exclusively to vaccine discovery and delivery for low- and middle-income countries, hosted the award ceremony on April 30, 2025.
• Speaking from Seattle, Dr. Bandyopadhyay emphasized that the recognition highlights the importance of global partnerships and will inspire future vaccine research.