Nutrition Matters:  Celebrating Discovery and Innovation

In 2025, the American Society for Nutrition Foundation (ASNF) and the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) launched two prestigious new awards that recognize groundbreaking contributions to the fields of nutrition science and childhood obesity prevention. 

These new awards honor the contributions of two pioneering scientists and fill a gap in scientific recognition by focusing on two target audiences in the prime of their productivity, whose innovative work is laying the foundation for future advancements. 

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Henrik Dam Award

Named in honor of the pioneering Danish scientist Henrik Carl Peter Dam who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1943 for his discovery of vitamin K.  Dam shared this award with Edward Doisy, a scientist from Saint Louis University, whose research explored the chemical nature of vitamin K.  

The ASNF-NNF Henrik Dam Award celebrates exceptional foundational and translational discoveries that have advanced our understanding of micronutrients, nutritional status, and/or metabolism.  By recognizing and celebrating these achievements, we seek to inspire future research and encourage the next wave of innovators in the field.  

Award Details: 

• This award honors a mid-career professional (10–25 years post-terminal degree) who has made outstanding research contributions to our understanding of micronutrients, nutritional status, and/or metabolism.  

• The award consists of a 1.7 million Danish Kroner, DKK (~$240,000 US Dollar, USD) research grant; 300,000 DKK (~$42,000 USD) personal award; and a 250,000 DKK (~$35,000 USD) grant to support a symposium at the recipient’s home institution.  

• The awardee will present a plenary lecture at NUTRITION 2025 in Orlando, FL (May 31–June 3, 2025), with travel and registration expenses covered.  

Eligibility Criteria and Application Process:  

1. Mid-Career Professional: Nominees must be 10 to 25 years post-completion of their terminal degree (e.g., PhD, MD, or equivalent).  
   
   
2. Field of Contribution: Nominees must have made significant foundational and/or translational research contributions specifically in one of the following areas:  
   • Micronutrients  
   • Nutritional status  
   • Metabolism  

3. Nominees must be employed by a university, hospital/medical center/health system, or other non-profit institution at the time of nomination and when receiving the award. 

4. Nominees must be ASN members and can be of any nationality. 

5. Current or former employees of a Novo Nordisk family company or the Novo Nordisk Foundation are not eligible for nomination. 

6. Required materials include: 
   • An online nomination form with the following questions:
     • Describe the nominee’s research contributions that increased understanding of micronutrients, nutrient status, and/or metabolism. (Up to 500 words) 
     • Explain the potential impact of these findings on society, public health, clinical practice, and/or policy. (Up to 500 words) 
     • Elaborate on the nominees’ global reach and/or influence within the scientific community. (Up to 500 words) 
     • Describe the nominee’s mentorship and/or leadership activities in the field of nutrition science. (Up to 500 words) 
   • A personal statement outlining the intended use of research funds (up to 1,000 words) 
   • A Curriculum Vitae (CV)
   • Letters of recommendation; two or three from peers, mentors, or collaborators attesting to the nominee’s qualifications. 

Flemming Quaade Award

The ASNF-NNF Flemming Quaade Award is named in honor of Flemming Quaade, a prominent Danish researcher and advocate for childhood obesity prevention.  This award recognizes innovative approaches to the prevention and management of childhood obesity, a growing public health challenge worldwide.  

Award Details

• This award recognizes an early-career physician (within 10 years of completing medical postdoctoral training) for groundbreaking contributions to understanding and managing childhood obesity.  

• The award includes a 500,000 DKK (~ $70,000 USD) prize and registration for NUTRITION 2025 in Orlando, FL (May 31–June 3, 2025), with travel expenses covered to attend the ASNF Awards Ceremony.  

Eligibility Criteria and Application Process: 

1. Early-Career Physician: Nominees must be within 10 years of completing their medical postdoctoral training at the time of nomination. 

2. Field of Work: Nominees must be physicians whose work focuses on childhood obesity, particularly in prevention or management. 

3. Innovative Contributions: Nominees must have demonstrated pioneering approaches that have advanced understanding of childhood obesity.  This could include: 
   • Novel methods or techniques 
   • Interdisciplinary strategies combining fields such as nutrition, endocrinology, pediatrics, psychology, or public health 
   • Community-based interventions targeting childhood obesity at local or larger scales 
   • Research promoting sustainable, scalable, and effective solutions for the prevention or management of childhood obesity. 

4. Nominees do not need to be ASN members and can be of any nationality. 

5. Current or former employees of a Novo Nordisk family company or the Novo Nordisk Foundation are not eligible for nomination. 

6. Nominations and self-nominations are permitted. 

7. Required materials include: 
   • An online nomination form with the following questions: 
     • Describe the nominee’s innovative contributions to the field of pediatric obesity. (Up to 500 words)
     • Explain how the nominee’s work has the potential for long-term sustainability and scalability across diverse populations or settings. (Up to 500 words) 
     • As appropriate, describe how the candidate’s work fostered interdisciplinary efforts or collaborative initiatives that integrate multiple perspectives or sectors (e.g., healthcare, community, education). (Up to 500 words) 
   • A personal statement outlining the intended use of research funds (Up to 1,000 words) 
   • A Curriculum Vitae (CV)
   • Letters of recommendation 

Deadline for Nominations 

Nominations were accepted on the ASN Foundation’s Awards Portal through January 31, 2025.   The next nomination cycle will open in September 2025.

Review Process and Evaluation of Awards 

ASNF-NNF Henrik Dam Award 

A Selection Committee comprised of ASN/ASNF leaders will be formed.  Each member will rate the following five attributes utilizing a 9-point scale (1 = exceptional; 9 = poor).  Ratings are provided in whole numbers, and reviewers are encouraged to use the entire scale; 5 is considered an average score. 

1. Scientific Impact and Originality: 
   • The nominee’s work should demonstrate groundbreaking or novel discoveries that advance the understanding of micronutrients, nutritional status, and/or metabolic processes. 
   • Preference will be given to research that has fundamentally shifted knowledge and/or influenced nutrition science. 

2. Research Quality and Methodological Rigor: 
   • The nominee’s work should exemplify methodological excellence, with robust study designs, accurate data collection, and clear, reproducible findings. 
   • The nominee’s research publications should demonstrate rigorous peer-reviewed standards and a commitment to high-quality scientific practices. 

3. Contributions to Public Health or Clinical Practice: 
   • The research should have direct or potential applications in improving public health, dietary guidelines, or clinical interventions. 
   • Special consideration will be given to research that addresses pressing issues, such as micronutrient deficiencies, metabolic disorders, or other areas where nutritional insights impact broader health outcomes. 

4. Global Reach and Influence: 
   • The nominee’s research should have achieved recognition within the international scientific community, reflected by citations, invited talks, or adoption of findings across diverse contexts. 

5. Mentorship and Leadership in Nutrition Science: 
   • Evidence of mentorship, collaboration, or leadership in the field, such as guiding emerging researchers, leading interdisciplinary teams, or actively participating in scientific advisory groups or boards. 
   • The nominee’s contributions to building the scientific community or fostering the next generation of nutrition scientists will be valued. 

ASNF-NNF Flemming Quaade Award 

A Selection Committee comprised of ASN/ASNF leaders will be formed.  Each member will rate the following five attributes utilizing a 9-point scale (1 = exceptional; 9 = poor).  Ratings are provided in whole numbers, and reviewers are encouraged to use the entire scale; 5 is considered an average score. 

1. Innovation and Impact: The nominee’s work should reflect innovation in approaches to childhood obesity, with demonstrated impact on the field or potential for widespread influence. 

2. Scientific Rigor: The nominee’s contributions should be grounded in strong scientific methodology and exhibit excellence in research design, implementation, and evaluation. 

3. Sustainability and Scalability: Preference will be given to work that promotes solutions with the potential for long-term sustainability and scalability across diverse populations or settings. 

4. Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Engagement: Emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary efforts or collaborative initiatives that integrate multiple perspectives or sectors (e.g., healthcare, community, education). 

5. Commitment to Public Health: The nominee should demonstrate a commitment to improving public health outcomes, especially among underserved or at-risk pediatric populations. 

Future for the ASNF-NNF Awards 

The ASNF is grateful that the NNF has generously funded these awards for an initial three-year period (2025–2027).  With the establishment of these prestigious awards, the NNF aims to recognize and foster individual scientific excellence, with the goal of promoting innovative research that generates new knowledge and sparks widespread interest in nutrition science.  

We look forward to celebrating the achievements of these exceptional scientists at NUTRITION 2025 in Orlando, May 31 – June 3, 2025.  

About Henrik Dam 

Carl Peter Henrik Dam (1895-1976) received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Copenhagen and obtained a Rockefeller Fellowship to further his studies of the metabolism of sterols.  In 1935, he discovered vitamin K while studying the sterol metabolism of chicks.  He studied this vitamin further with respect to its occurrence and biological function in animals and plants, as well as its application in human medicine, its fundamental chemical and physical properties and its purification and isolation.  From the study of vitamin K arose the observation of some new symptoms in experimental animals, such as increased capillary permeability and coloration of adipose tissue, which turned out to be due to the ingestion of certain fats in the absence of vitamin E.  

During the war in Europe, Dam carried out research in Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratories and at the University of Rochester.  It was during this period that he was awarded the 1943 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, which was divided equally between Henrik Carl Peter Dam “for his discovery of vitamin K” and Edward Adelbert Doisy “for his discovery of the chemical nature of vitamin K.”  After his return to Denmark, Dam’s main research subjects were vitamin K, vitamin E, fats, cholesterol, and more recently, nutritional studies in relation to gall-stone formation.  He has published and/or collaborated in the publication of 315 articles on biochemical problems, mainly concerning the biochemistry of sterols, vitamins K and E, and fats.  

About Flemming Quaade 

Flemming Quaade (1923-2007) was a Danish doctor recognized for his work in obesity research, with significant contributions to understanding the complex factors surrounding obesity and its treatment.  In 1949, he was awarded a Gold Medal from the University of Copenhagen for his thesis on obese children, and in 1955 he authored a doctoral dissertation on this subject with several scientific publications that followed.  Dr. Quaade was involved in clinical trials and studies to examine weight management strategies, including bariatric surgery and pharmacological interventions.  

His work contributed to the understanding of how certain treatments, such as weight-loss medications and surgical interventions, can be effective in managing obesity, especially in cases where lifestyle changes alone are insufficient.  He also developed a slimming agent which offered a diet that provided the body with all the nutrients it needed, but with a minimum number of calories.  

One notable aspect of Dr. Quaade’s work was his focus on the biological mechanisms behind obesity.  He explored the role of genetics, hormones, and environmental factors in the development and progression of obesity.  His research has helped shift the focus of obesity from simply being an issue of overeating and lack of exercise to understanding it as a multifactorial condition, involving a combination of genetic, metabolic, psychological, and environmental factors.  This broader perspective has influenced both clinical practices and public health strategies for addressing obesity.  

About the Novo Nordisk Foundation 

Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) is an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives.  The vision of the Foundation is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet.  The Foundation’s mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases and to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society.  The foundation is the main owner of the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk (and other companies) and uses the dividends to support philanthropic purposes. Visit NNF at: https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/ 

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