The Naomi Berrie Award will recognize a senior research scientist who has made major contributions to diabetes research, preferably at the basic science level. The recipient will receive $100,000 to support a two-year research fellowship for a doctoral student or postdoctoral fellow in his or her laboratory.

-- 2002 Naomi Berrie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Diabetes Research

-- 2002 Naomi Berrie Fellow in Diabetes Research Award

Russ Berrie, toy manufacturer and lead benefactor of the Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion and the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center and his wife Angelica, have generously donated funds to support the Naomi Berrie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Diabetes Research and a Naomi Berrie Fellowship in Diabetes Research.

The program recognizes outstanding achievement in the field and encourages and fosters the careers of young scientists in diabetes research. The annual recipient of the Naomi Berrie Award for Outstanding Acheivement in Diabetes Research will be a senior investigator in diabetes research. The recipient will receive $100,000 which is to be used to support a two-year fellowship for a doctoral student or post- doctoral fellow in his/her laboratory. This fellow will be designated: Naomi Berrie Fellow in Diabetes Research" at the senior investigator's institution.

The Russell Berrie Foundation will also fund a two-year Naomi Berrie Fellowship in Diabetes Research at Columbia University.

The senior investigator recipient of the Naomi Berrie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Diabetes Research will be chosen by a selection committee of nationally recognized leaders in diabetes research. This researcher will receive the honor at the annual Frontiers in Diabetes Research Symposium in November at Columbia University.

The Columbia University Fellow in Diabetes Research will be selected by the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center.

Mr. Berrie founded Russ Berrie and Company with $500 startup cash and grew his company into a world-leading toy manufacturer. In 1997, he donated $13.7 million to help construct the Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion and establish the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, which is named for his mother who, like himself, was diagnosed with diabetes.

In 2000, the first recipients of these awards were:

Noami Berrie Award for Outstanding Acheivement in Diabetes Research:
Graeme Bell, Phd. University of Chicago

Naomi Berrie Fellow in Diabetes Research at Columbia University:Anthony Ferrante, MD, PhD. Dept of Medicine. Columbia University

The above applications can be e-mailed to diabetes@columbia.edu. or faxed to 212-304-5493. Closing for nominations is August 1, 2002. The Naomi Berrie Award recipient for 2002 will be announced in November.