The Lasker Foundation is holding its first Video Contest in lieu of an Essay Contest in 2026.
About the Contest
The contest invites early-career scientists and clinicians from around the world to showcase their passion for biology and medicine. Participants should demonstrate how their creativity and innovative thinking can help address some of the most pressing questions in these fields. The Contest aims to build skills in communicating important medical and scientific issues to broad audiences. The topic is announced annually in March, and winners are announced in mid-July.
Eligibility Criteria
The Contest is open to:
- Medical students, interns, residents, and fellows;
- Doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in biomedical sciences;
- Trainees with up to six (6) years of post-PhD research experience; and
- Graduate students enrolled in health professions programs (e.g., public health, dental, pharmacy, etc.) who are currently engaged in research activities.
Applicants, whether from the United States or other countries, must be actively enrolled in, or affiliated with, an educational or research program. The program may be located in any country.
Guidelines
The video must be under two minutes, no more than 250MB, and adhere to the following specifications:
Full HD (FHD)
1080p resolution (1920 x 1080)
16:9 horizontal aspect ratio
MP4 (with H.264/AAC codecs)
Max. length: 2 minutes
Max filesize: 250 MB
Each applicant may submit only one video, created by a single author. Video content must be original; previously published videos will be disqualified. Each video should have a title and include the applicant’s name. The use of generative AI tools is optional. Field-specific scientific jargon should be avoided or clearly explained.
Evaluation Criteria
All video submissions will be evaluated based on the originality of the ideas presented, the clarity and coherence of the message, and the extent to which the video addresses the prompt, rather than on technical sophistication or production quality. Submissions not in English, exceeding two (2) minutes in length, or 250MB will be deemed ineligible.
Prizes
Winners will receive $5,000. Monetary prizes will be directed to the winner’s university to be used towards the winner’s educational expenses.
Publication
The winning videos will be published in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
AfroScientric 