The March of Dimes Richard B. Johnston Jr. MD Prize

Saturday, March 29, 2025
8:30 a.m. - 9:20 a.m.

The March of Dimes Richard B. Johnston, Jr., MD Prize honors an outstanding scientist who has advanced the science that underlies our understanding of pregnancy, birth, and prenatal development. This award, named in honor of Dr. Johnston, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado and a former Medical Director at March of Dimes, was created as a tribute to Dr. Jonas Salk, developer of the polio vaccine. It is part of March of Dimes’ research strategy to address the multi-faceted nature of the maternal and child health crisis. To date, six recipients have gone on to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Recognized for discovery of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal blood and creation of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), used by as many as 50% of pregnant women in the US to screen for genetic conditions like Down syndrome

March of Dimes, the leading organization fighting for the health of moms and babies, is proud to recognize Dr. Dennis Lo, PhD, as the recipient of the 2025 March of Dimes Richard B. Johnston, Jr., MD Prize.

This prestigious award is presented annually to an outstanding scientist who has made exceptional contributions to advancing our understanding of pregnancy, birth, and prenatal development. Dr. Lo, a resident of Hong Kong, serves as the vice chancellor and president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he is also a professor of medicine and chemical pathology, and director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences.

Known as the ‘father of noninvasive prenatal testing,’ Dr. Lo is an internationally renowned scientist whose 1997 discovery of fetal DNA in maternal blood, known as cell-free fetal DNA, set the stage for his invention of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), a blood test that can safely and accurately screen babies in the womb for Down syndrome, or Trisomy 21, which results from an extra copy of chromosome 21.

“It is simply impossible to overstate the impact Dr. Lo’s pair of discoveries have had on the health of moms and babies over the last fifteen years,” said Dr. Emre Seli, Chief Scientific Advisor at March of Dimes. “His work has dramatically reduced the risks associated with invasive screening methods, contributed to early detection of chromosomal abnormalities, and even led to the recognition of maternal cancer. The impact his revolutionary work has had on improving maternal and infant health outcomes has been tremendous.”

March of Dimes will present the award at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Society for Reproductive Investigation in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 29, 2025.

More information can be found here.