January 26, 2010 - The March of Dimes Foundation announced that Shinya Yamanaka, director of the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, has been chosen to receive the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology for his discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), which has altered the field of developmental biology. The award ceremony will be held on May 3rd, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology has been awarded annually to researchers whose research has advanced the science that contributes to the understanding of birth defects.

The March of Dimes Foundation was founded in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and its mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

March of Dimes Foundation website: http://www.marchofdimes.com/aboutus/49267_62918.asp