Rolf Luft Award

The Rolf Luft Award is presented by the Rolf Luft Foundation for Diabetes Research in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet, to distinguished researchers active in the fields of endocrinology, metabolism, and diabetes research. The award consists of a medal, a diploma, and an honorarium.

Rolf Luft Award – one of the world’s most prestigious awards in diabetology and endocrinology

The Rolf Luft Award is awarded annually, initially by Karolinska Institutet and since 2005 by the Rolf Luft Foundation for Diabetes Research, to an outstanding researcher active in endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes research. The award consists of a medal, diploma and prize money.

The prize committee, which proposes the award recipients, includes independent international and Swedish (from the Nobel Committee) evaluators. The Rolf Luft Award is presented for outstanding and groundbreaking research in the fields of diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolism.

Since 2000, Karolinska Institutet has been contributing, via a fund, to a medal, a diploma and expenses in connection with the invitation of the prize winner and the prize lecture. Since 2005, the Rolf Luft Foundation has contributed with the selection of prize winners and prize money and also it has arranged the prize ceremony and the prize lecture.

Latest winners of Rolf Luft Award

  • 2026 – Professors Richard DiMarchi, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, and President Matthias H. Tschöp, Ludwig Maximilian University, München, Germany
  • 2025 – Professor Ronald M Evans, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, USA
  • 2024 – Professor Frances Ashcroft, University of Oxford, UK
  • 2022 – Professor Roger D. Cone, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, USA
  • 2020 – Dr Franz Matschinsky, Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia

For a full list of award winners over the years, see: Rolf Luft Award, KI.se

Instructions for nomination

To nominate a candidate for the Rolf Luft Award, please follow these instructions:

The nomination must be compiled in pdf format and include the following: a short CV (max. 5 pages without reference list); a list of the nominee’s 10 most important publications; and a brief description of the nominee’s contribution to science and health (no more than one page or 500 words). In addition, the nomination should include an additional pdf file with a full CV containing a complete list of all publications. The nomination should be sent electronically (via email) and at the latest on September 30th 2026, to: luftaward@luftdiabetesfoundation.se. (For further instructions see here.)

Contact information

For questions regarding the Rolf Luft Award, please contact us at: info@luftdiabetesfoundation.se.

Since April 2026, the foundation holds two “90-accounts” (charitable donation accounts): one allocated to the foundation generally (including the Rolf Luft Award) and one specifically designated for the Kerstin Brismar Award. Now it is possible for private individuals and companies to claim tax deductions for their donations to the foundation. Read more here: https://luftdiabetesfoundation.se/en/donate/

Official logotype for Rolf Luft Foundation for Diabetes Research.

Nominations for the Rolf Luft Award 2027 are accepted through September 30th, 2026.

Rolf Luft Award 2026

Professors Richard DiMarchi (Indiana University, Bloomington, USA) and President Matthias H. Tschöp (Ludwig Maximilian University, München, Germany) are awarded the Rolf Luft Award 2026.

The award ceremony will take place on September 10 at the Nobel Forum, Karolinska Institutet. In conjunction with the event, the laureates will speak about their groundbreaking research. View the full program here and read more about the laureates’ research here.

In 2024, the foundation celebrated its 20-years’ anniversary with a special symposium. From left to right: Sir Stephen O’Rahilly, Jeffrey Friedman, C Ronald Kahn, Ritva Luft, Dame Frances Ashcroft (receiver of Rolf Luft Award 2024), Alan Raffensperger and Kerstin Brismar, and Nils-Göran Larsson (added through edit). (Photo from 2024)