US foundation awards US$ 50,000 to Peruvian-born doctor for creative promise in biomedical science

By Hillary Ojeda

The Vilcek Foundation recognized Peruvian Dr. Fernando Camargo for his research on blood cells.

The United States-based Vilcek Foundation awarded Peruvian immigrant, Dr. Fernando Camargo, for demonstrating outstanding achievement as a young scientist, and awarded him a US$ 50,000 cash award, according to a press release provided to Living in Peru.

He and three other scientists were chosen by the non-profit organization in New York that aims to raise awareness for the contributions made by immigrants to American society.

The foundation awarded Camargo for his research as it has contributed to major technical advances to track circulating blood and immune cells.

An associate professor at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Arequipa-born Camargo has carried out ground-breaking research. He demonstrated that progenitor cells give rise to circulating blood cells—a major finding, as the long-held understanding had previously been that they came from hematopoietic stem cells.

His research has major implications for the ability to improve blood transplantation in the clinic.

At the same time, Camargo is working in additional projects related to cancer treatment and regenerative medicine.

In addition to Camargo, the Vilcek Foundation awarded, Dan R. Littman (first prize winner), Roberta Capp and Houra Merrikh.

Source: Peru This Week

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