GBD Emerging Researcher Award
Created in 2020, the $5,000 award supports emerging global health researchers to carry out innovative research to improve the measurement and knowledge about burden of disease in populations.Congratulations to Dr. Mirza Balaj and Dr. Mahdi Safdarian – 2024 winners of the GBD Emerging Researcher Award
Dr. Mirza Balaj’s work on the socioeconomic drivers of health and longevity has propelled her to lead the development of the European Social Survey rotating module on the social determinants of health. Holding a PhD in sociology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Dr. Balaj currently serves as the scientific coordinator of CHAIN, a key partner of the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD), and a leading center for the study of socioeconomic health inequalities.
Dr. Mahdi Safdarian is a PhD candidate and research fellow at the Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Medical Center at the University Hospital of Salzburg. Honored for his exceptional contributions to the study of spinal cord injuries, Dr. Safdarian's dedication and innovative use of the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) findings have made a substantial impact on understanding these conditions.
About the award
Nominations for 2025 are now closed. Please stay tuned for 2026 nominations!
The winners of this award are selected by a committee of distinguished individuals representing different spheres of the GBD Collaborator Network.
Past recipients of the award have continued to make a great impact on public health.
Nomination information
Nominations for 2025 are now closed. Please stay tuned for 2026 nominations!
The GBD Emerging Researcher Award is open to individuals who meet the following criteria:
- An early‐career professional (this may include students pursuing a terminal degree and must be no more than five years post terminal degree)
- Demonstrable evidence that the nominee can carry out Global Burden of Disease (GBD) research(1) of the highest scientific quality, focused on either:
- Methods improvement; or
- Application of GBD methods at the global, regional, national or subnational level; or
- Innovative applications of GBD data.
Two awards will be made annually. For one of the two awards, preference will be given to candidates who are based in a LMIC (2). Female nominees are encouraged.
(1) “GBD-related research” defined as research or analysis that fits under the rubric of the Global Burden of Disease Study.
(2) “LMIC” defined by the World Bank as: “For the current 2025 fiscal year, low-income economies are defined as those with a GNI per capita, calculated using the World Bank Atlas method, of $1,145 or less in 2023; lower middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita between $1,146 and $4,515; upper middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita between $4,516 and $14,005; high-income economies are those with a GNI per capita of $14,005 or more.”
Please include the following information in the nomination form:
- Nominee’s personal information: title, name, degrees, position or role, organization, nationality, email, phone number, and physical address.
- Nomination letter providing context for the research (1,000 word limit). The nomination letter should:
- Describe the reason for the nomination (i.e., Why this researcher is deserving of the award).
- Describe the nominee’s accomplishments with regard to conducting Global Burden of Disease (GBD) research(1) of the highest scientific quality, focused on either:
- Methods improvement; or
- Application of GBD methods in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC)(2)
- Describe their career to date (to prove eligibility for the award)
- Supporting materials (2 maximum). Please attach additional items that support the nominee’s use of evidence to positively impact health: Piece of published research or completed, unpublished manuscript (for example, a thesis or capstone).
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Nominator’s personal information: title, name, degrees, position or role, organization, email, phone number, and physical address.
(1) “GBD-related research” defined as research or analysis that fits under the rubric of the Global Burden of Disease Study.
(2) “LMIC” defined by the World Bank as: “For the current 2025 fiscal year, low-income economies are defined as those with a GNI per capita, calculated using the World Bank Atlas method, of $1,145 or less in 2023; lower middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita between $1,146 and $4,515; upper middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita between $4,516 and $14,005; high-income economies are those with a GNI per capita of $14,005 or more.”
Applications will be reviewed by a committee of burden of disease experts, and two winners will be selected.
About the GBD Emerging Researcher Award
In 2018, Professor Christopher Murray, Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington was awarded the prestigious John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for his pioneering work in establishing and developing the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study over three decades earlier. Subsequently, the GBD has greatly influenced debates about global health priorities and the development of health services and systems worldwide, and enabled the tracking of progress toward global and national health and development goals.
Professor Murray has donated the proceeds of this award to the University of Washington to establish the GBD Emerging Researcher Award. The primary aim of the award is to support emerging global health researchers to carry out innovative research to improve the measurement and knowledge of burden of disease in populations.
From 2021 to 2023, the University of Washington made one award annually with the winner receiving US$5,000. In 2023, the fund received a generous donation from Professor Theo Vos, a long time contributor to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study and starting in 2024, two awards of US$5,000 will be awarded annually. Professor Vos was motivated by the idea of encouraging early career researchers through this award to assume greater responsibility in their work, gain recognition for their efforts, and become more independent in their research pursuits. The additional award will allow for highly deserving candidates from anywhere in the world to be equally considered.
Thank you to our promotional partners: University of Washington Population Health Initiative, University of Washington Graduate School, University of Washington School of Public Health, and Cambia Grove.
Contact us
If you have questions about the award, please contact [email protected].