New in 2026: The Orion Awards
The Cytokine Society is pleased to announce the new awards, established to recognize and support exceptional PhD students who are exploring new frontiers in cytokine biology research. Made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor, these awards celebrate early-career scientists whose work demonstrates innovation, scientific merit, and the potential to advance our understanding of cytokine biology.
Beginning in 2026, The Cytokine Society will present two or more Orion Awards annually to outstanding PhD students based on the quality and impact of their submitted conference abstracts. Recipients receive a $2,500 cash award to support travel to the annual Cytokines conference, waived conference registration, and the opportunity to present their research in a short oral presentation.
Eligibility
The Orion Awards are open to current PhD students from any country or institution who are conducting research in cytokine biology. Candidates must submit an abstract to the annual Cytokines conference and indicate their interest in being considered for the award during the abstract submission process.
Selection Process
Award recipients are selected from the top-ranked graduate student abstracts as evaluated by the conference’s abstract review committee. Final selections are subject to review by the Society’s Executive Committee to ensure alignment with the award’s mission of recognizing work that explores new areas of cytokine biology.
Application
No separate application is required. PhD students who wish to be considered for an Orion Award should submit their abstract through the annual conference submission system and indicate their interest in being considered for the award on the submission form.
2026 Orion Award Recipients
We look forward to congratulating to our inaugural Orion Award recipients! Winners will be announced following abstract review for the Cytokines 2026 conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
Past Recipients
2026 – Recipients to be announced
