The Global Stress & Resilience Network is delighted to announce Prof. Alon Chen, President of the Weizmann Institute of Science, as the recipient of the 2027 GSRNet Breakthrough Award, honoring his outstanding contributions to our understanding of the neurobiology of stress and resilience.
Prof. Chen’s research has helped reshape our understanding of how the brain and body respond and adapt to stress, and why individuals differ in their vulnerability or resilience to stressful experiences. Among his most influential contributions, Prof. Chen and his team provided early evidence in mice linking stress-induced epigenetic changes in the regulation of the gene encoding corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), a key regulator of the stress response, to individual susceptibility to chronic social stress.
His laboratory subsequently identified the microRNA miR-135 as a regulator of serotonergic function, stress resilience and antidepressant response in experimental models. His group also showed that stress-responsive RNA methylation contributes to the regulation of gene expression, fear memory and synaptic plasticity. Across a complementary series of genetic and circuit-level studies, his group helped define how CRF/urocortin signaling and specific brain circuits contribute not only to the response to stress but also to adaptation and recovery.
Together, this body of work has connected molecular mechanisms with brain circuits and behavior, contributing to a more integrated understanding of stress vulnerability and resilience. The 2027 GSRNet Breakthrough Award recognizes the scientific rigor, innovation and broad influence of Prof. Chen’s sustained contributions to the field.
We warmly congratulate Prof. Alon Chen on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to celebrating his achievements with the international stress and resilience community at the Global Stress & Resilience Meeting 2027, taking place February 3–5, 2027, at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland
