Li Tang wins Lem Prize
Li Tang. 2025 EPFL CC BY SA
Li Tang, head of the Laboratory of Biomaterials for Immunoengineering in the School of Engineering, has been awarded the Lem Prize 2025 by the Wrocław University of Science and Technology (Poland).
The Lem Prize was established to commemorate the 100th birthday of Stanisław Lem (1921–2006), a Polish science fiction writer best known as the author of the novel Solaris (1961). The Lem Prize is awarded annually to one young researcher whose creative work in science or engineering has potential for positive impact on the future of civilization increasingly filled with technology.
This year, EPFL professor Li Tang has been selected to receive the prize for: "A Paradigm Shift in Cancer Immunotherapy: Harnessing Type 2 Immunity for Curative and Accessible Therapies". The honor was announced during the celebration of the 80th WroclawTECH anniversary on November 14th, and will be officially awarded at a special ceremony in 2026.
“As a scientist working in the fields of immunoengineering and cancer immunotherapy, I’m inspired by the idea that science and imagination together can expand the boundaries of what is possible in human health. This also well echoes the spirit of Stanisław Lem,” said Tang in a message addressed to the Wrocław Tech community. “I dedicate this award to my team, my collaborators—especially clinicians and patients—and to all who believe that science guided by imagination can shape a better world”.
Tang's research in the Laboratory of Biomaterials for Immunoengineering focuses on developing novel strategies to engineer multi-dimensional immunity-disease interactions from various aspects, in order to create safe and effective therapies against cancer and infectious diseases. He was also recently awarded a BRIDGE Discovery Grant and the 2025 Leenaards Science Prize, which comes CHF 1.4 million to explore a new approach to overcoming cancer-cell resistance to immunotherapy.