For the thirtieth time, the Foundation for Polish Science awarded its Prizes, which enjoy the reputation of the most important scientific distinction in Poland. The laureates are four outstanding scientists: Professors Bożena Kamińska-Kaczmarek, Jacek Jemielity, Grzegorz Pietrzyński, and Cezary Cieśliński.

The FNP Prize honors for outstanding achievements and scientific discoveries that push the boundaries of cognition and open new research perspectives, provide an exceptional contribution to Poland?s civilizational and cultural advancement, and assure the country with a significant position for undertaking the most ambitious challenges of the modern world. The amount of the award is PLN 200,000.

Professor Bożena Kamińska-Kaczmarek from the M. Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS in Warsaw received the 2021 FNP Prize in the area of life and earth sciences for the discovery of mechanisms that cause malignant gliomas to reprogram immune cells in such a way that they support the development of these brain tumors.

Professor Jacek Jemielity from the Centre of New Technologies at the University of Warsaw received the 2021 FNP Prize in the area of chemistry and materials sciences for developing chemical modifications of mRNA as tools for therapeutic applications and studies on cellular processes.

Professor Grzegorz Pietrzyński from the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Centre PAS in Warsaw received the 2021 FNP Prize in the area of mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences for the precise distance determination to the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Professor Cezary Cieślinski from the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Warsaw received the 2021 FNP Prize in the area of humanities and social sciences for solving the key problems of the deflationary theory of truth.

The FNP Prize is an individual award granted by the Council of the Foundation by way of competition in four areas: life and earth sciences, chemistry and materials sciences, mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, and humanities and social sciences. Candidates for this honor may be nominated by distinguished scientists personally invited by the Foundation?s Executive Board and Council. The FNP Council serves as the competition committee and selects the winners based on opinions from independent experts and reviewers ? mainly from abroad ? who assess the candidates? achievements.

The FNP Prizes have been awarded since 1992. Including this year?s winners, there have been a total of 110 laureates.

The award ceremony will be held on December 7, 2021, and will be transmitted online.

The members of the Foundation Council for the current term are professors:

• Tomasz Guzik (Medical College of Jagiellonian University) ? Chair of the Council
• Grażyna Jurkowlaniec (Institute of Art History, Faculty of Arts and Culture Sciences, University of Warsaw) ? Vice-Chair of the Council
• Piotr Garstecki (Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw)
• Jan Kotwica (Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn)
• Tomasz Łuczak (Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań)
• Aleksandra Łuszczyńska (SWPS University of Humanities and Social Sciences)
• Maria Nowakowska (Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University)