2026 Smith Family Awards Celebration
Thursday, November 5, 2026 | 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Pre-event programming for current Awardees and Alumni Mentors
| 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM Awardees | 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM Alumni Mentors
EVENT INFORMATION
Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center
Harvard Commons, Ground Floor
1350 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02138
Join us for a reception and poster session celebrating awardees of the Smith Family Awards Program for Excellence in Biomedical Research and the Odyssey Award, along with the presentation of the Richard A. Smith Excellence in Biomedical Research Alumni Prize.
Registration
Current Excellence or Odyssey Awardee Alumni Mentors Other Invitees2026 Richard A. Smith Excellence In Biomedical Research Alumni Prize
We are pleased to announce that Philip Kranzusch, PhD, will receive the 2026 Richard A. Smith Excellence in Biomedical Research Alumni Prize, which will be presented during the event.
Philip Kranzusch, PhD, is a Professor of Cancer Immunology & Virology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a Professor of Microbiology at Harvard Medical School. His research contributions include discovering that human innate immunity evolved from ancient pathways in bacteria and defining nucleotide immune signals that control how cells sense and defend against pathogen infection and cancer. In addition to receiving a Smith Excellence Award in 2016, he is also a recipient of the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, the American Society for Microbiology Early Career Basic Research Award, the Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists, and the National Academy of Sciences Molecular Biology Award.
For Current Awardees Only
HALF-DAY LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP & MENTORING COCKTAIL RECEPTION
We invite current Excellence and Odyssey Awardees to attend a half-day workshop, “Leading in Times of Change,” from 12:00 PM – 4:45 PM, followed by a cocktail reception with their Alumni Mentors from 4:45 PM to 5:30 PM, prior to the evening program.
Poster Session
All current awardees are expected to submit one poster as an author or co-author.
- FINAL deadline to submit your poster abstract is September 28, 2026.
- 4′ x 8′ poster display board provided
- Poster session begins at 5:30 PM
- Set-up begins at 5:00 PM
Parking
Paid, self-parking is available at about a 6-minute walk from the venue at either the University Place Garage or the Charles Square Garage.
Questions?
Logistical questions: click here to email our event coordinator
Scientific questions: click here to email HRiA
About the Foundation
Our mission is to effect permanent positive change in the lives of individuals and families across Greater Boston, especially in economically disadvantaged communities. We invest in organizations that improve human health, raise educational attainment, increase economic security, and meet community needs. We believe in engaged, multigenerational family philanthropy as a means to have greater impact and to honor our family’s philanthropic legacy.
