Baruch S. Blumberg Prize for Outstanding Contributions to Hepatitis B Research
Fabien Zoulim, MD, PhD
Fabien Zoulim, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at Lyon I University and medical director of the Hepatology Department at the Hospices Civils de Lyon, has been chosen to receive the 2026 Baruch S. Blumberg Prize.
“Dr. Zoulim has been one of the world’s leading scientists advancing our understand of hepatitis B virus persistence and developing strategies to achieve a cure,” said Chari A. Cohen, DrPH, MPH, president of the Hepatitis B Foundation. “His leadership in research collaborations, such as the ICE-HBV coalition and the ANRS HBV Cure Task Force, has helped accelerate the field and inspired new scientists dedicated to eliminating hepatitis B and hepatitis delta worldwide.”
Ju-Tao Guo, MD, president and chief scientific officer of the Blumberg Institute, the sister organization of the Foundation focused on research, said: “Dr. Zoulim has been a pioneer in hepatitis B virology and clinical research for over three decades. He has played a key role in the preclinical and clinical development of several novel therapeutics for the management of hepatitis B. His leadership in international organizations such as EASL has been instrumental in advancing the global control of viral hepatitis.”
Dr. Zoulim said: “I am truly thrilled and honored to receive this prestigious award from the Hepatitis B Foundation,” Dr. Zoulim said. “Nearly 60 years after Dr. Baruch Blumberg’s discovery of the hepatitis B virus, we are drawing closer to curative regimens for the 254 million people living with chronic hepatitis B.”
“For the past 30 years I have been personally involved in the care of chronic hepatitis B patients, Dr. Zoulim added. “My clinical experience has driven me to focus my research team’s efforts on developing translational programs that probe the molecular and cellular mechanisms of viral persistence, to identify novel biomarkers to predict treatment outcomes and accompany drug development, and to discover therapeutic strategies targeting HBV cccDNA, i.e. the viral mini-chromosome, with the perspective of creating new treatment opportunities with higher cure rates.”
“I am deeply indebted to my mentors and to my colleagues and collaborators, without whom I could not have established these research programs,” Dr. Zoulim said. “Bridging basic and clinical science will be essential to achieving our goal of curing chronic HBV infection and treating all infected patients worldwide.”
Dr. Zoulim is among the most widely published scientists in the field of hepatitis B research. He focuses on understanding viral persistence to discover and develop novel treatments to cure chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis D infections.
The Baruch S. Blumberg Prize is the Hepatitis B Foundation’s highest honor. It is named for Baruch S. Blumberg, MD, DPhil, who received the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 1976 for discovering the hepatitis B virus. He was instrumental in the creation of the Foundation, served on our Scientific and Medical Advisory Board and was the Foundation’s Distinguished Scholar from 1992 until his death in 2011. The Foundation’s research arm was renamed the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute in his honor.
A committee of former Blumberg Prize recipients annually selects a new honoree. Past recipients include Dr. Harvey Alter, who was among the winners of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology; Dr. Anna Lok, assistant dean for clinical research, University of Michigan Medical School; and Prof. Stefan Urban, head of Translational Virology at Heidelberg University Hospital.
Community Leadership Award
Paul A. Offit, MD
Paul A. Offit, MD, internationally recognized pediatrician, vaccinologist, author and educator, has been chosen for the Foundation’s 2026 Community Leadership Award.
“Paul has made major contributions to vaccine science, public health, and science communication. He has spent his career defending evidence-based medicine and combating misinformation to help parents and the broader public make informed decisions for their health. We recognize and deeply appreciate his willingness to engage in public debate about the value of vaccines at a time when it requires courage to do so. And Dr. Offit has been very generous with his time in advising the Hepatitis B Foundation over the years,” said Dr. Chari Cohen.
Dr. Offit is Director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He served on the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee until abruptly being removed last August and had been on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Hepatitis B Foundation’s Community Leadership Award recognizes individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to communities highly impacted by hepatitis B, hepatitis D and liver cancer. Awardees also demonstrate additional commitment to community service outside of the hepatitis B space.
The Community Leadership Award will be presented to Dr. Offit at the Foundation’s 2026 Gala. The event attracts more than 250 leaders from academia, government, business and the regional community every year.
Previous recipients are valued advocates including #justB storytellers, dedicated philanthropists and valued advisors to the Foundation: Jeffrey Caballero, Rev. Jason Crum Escalera, Susana Guigere, Paula Wong, Fred Beans, Marvin and Dee Ann Woodall, Ren Capocasale, Bruce and Cynthia Maryanoff, Jim and Teri Holton, Debbie Wagner, Bridget Wingert and Brad Segall.
See the full list of previous award winners here.
Gala Speakers
We are pleased to announce this year's speakers and honorees. Each of these distinguished individuals dedicates themselves to our common pursuit of working to help promote the cause of Hepatitis B support and prevention. Their wealth of knowledge and experience is pivotal to our continued success in the fight for people suffering from this disease. We are grateful for their commitment and they are excited to share in this anniversary celebration.
Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH
President, Hepatitis B Foundation
Timothy M. Block, PhD
Co-Founder, Hepatitis B Foundation
Executive Chair, Hepatitis B Foundation Board of Directors
Joseph Erckert, MA
Chief Development Officer, Hepatitis B Foundation
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