Wolf Prize 2026: Eight Laureates Announced in Jerusalem

The Wolf Foundation has awarded its 2026 prize to eight scientists for outstanding achievements and fundamental contributions to mathematics, medicine, physics, and chemistry. The laureates were announced at the Israeli President’s residence in Jerusalem in the presence of Isaac Herzog.

David Kazhdan of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Joseph Bernstein of Tel Aviv University received the award in mathematics. The jury recognized their fundamental contributions to the theory of automorphic forms, algebraic geometry, and the development of geometric representation theory.

Charles Zuker of Columbia University was named the laureate in medicine. He made key contributions to understanding the mechanisms of taste perception by identifying the cells and receptors that allow the body to recognize five basic tastes.

Immanuel Bloch and Jun Ye shared the prize in physics. Bloch was honored for pioneering achievements in controlling ultracold atomic systems and using them to study quantum phenomena. Meanwhile, Ye was recognized for his crucial role in developing highly accurate and stable optical atomic clocks.

In chemistry, the award went to Shankar Balasubramanian, David Klenerman, and Pascal Mayer. The researchers developed scalable, accessible DNA analysis methods that laid the foundation for next-generation sequencing technologies. Their work significantly accelerated genomic research while sharply reducing its cost.

The formal ceremony will take place in June 2027 at the Knesset in Jerusalem. Laureates will receive official diplomas, personalized medals, and a monetary award. Each prize category carries a $100,000 purse, which is split equally among multiple winners within the same discipline.