TNQ Inspiring Science Awards

Honouring, annually, the best paper in the life sciences published by a student from India.

The annual TNQ Inspiring Science Awards (TNQ ISA) are for the best paper in the life sciences, published by a student from India.

About TNQ ISA

The TNQ ISA aim to recognise and reward quality science, inspire scholarship, and encourage researchers to make their lives in basic life science research. Each year we reward creative, rigorous, and impactful life science research.

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The inaugural winner of TNQ ISA was announced in January 2017, at The TNQ Distinguished Lectures in the Life Sciences, in Bengaluru. Dr Emilie Marcus, ex-CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Cell Press, said, “Building on the successful tradition of the lectureship in inspiring students to pursue their passion with careers in scientific research, we are creating TNQ Inspiring Science Awards in association with the lectures. The idea for this award was brought forth to us by Professor Anuranjan Anand of JNCASR, and we would like to express our thanks and appreciation to him for helping extend the impact of the lecture series in promoting young Indian scientists.”

VIEW ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Previous Winners of the TNQ
Inspiring Science Awards

2600+

Entries since 2016-2017

300+

Research institutions represented

Prize Details

Of each year’s entries, eight papers of young scientists are shortlisted by the jury. All eight finalists receive an Apple laptop, a medal, and a citation.

The winner, chosen from the finalists, receives the year’s TNQ Inspiring Science Award. This award includes a medal, a citation, and a travel fellowship to a conference of the author’s choice anywhere in the world.

Eligibility Criteria

The Awards are only for full-length research papers published in the Life Sciences.

The Awards are open to life scientists who are registered for a PhD, or who are postdoctoral fellows within 4 years of their postdoctoral programme.

The applicant should be the first author or co-first author of the research paper

The research paper being submitted must have been first published online or in print between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026

The paper should have already been accepted and published in a peer-reviewed journal, either, as an accepted manuscript publication or a corrected proof publication.

Only peer-reviewed, published, full-length research papers are eligible for submission. Other article types such as Editorials, Reviews, Opinions, Perspectives, etc. are not eligible. Preprints are also not eligible.

The applicant must have been affiliated with a research institution or university, based in India, where the research must have been conducted.

All applicants must obtain and submit a bona fide letter from the institute/university at which the paper was published to support their candidature. The letter must be on the institute/university's letterhead and must clearly indicate the applicant's name, course/programme of enrolment, their date of joining, and date of completion (expected date of completion/thesis submission in case of final year PhD scholars) and should be signed and stamped by the Director/Administrative Officer/Head of Department.

Applicants must clearly mention the acvite email IDs of all co-authors. The submission will not proceed for review unless all co-authors' accurate email IDs are mentioned.

Upon applying for the Awards, all co-authors will receive an email with a specific submission ID. If any co-author has an objection, they should convey the same by sending an email to outreach@tnq.foundation with the subject OBJECTION: Entry by (submission ID) before November 5, 2026. If we do not receive an email from any co-author by this date, we will assume that they have no objection to the applicant's entry, and the Awards, should the paper be chosen to win.

The paper must be uploaded as a PDF with the entry, supported by a proof of publication link. Entries as links to sites that are behind paywalls or firewalls are not acceptable. Please submit your application from your laptop/desktop. You might face technical difficulties while submitting from your mobile phone or tablet.

Registrations for TNQ ISA-2027 will close on October 31, 2026.

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Evaluation Process

The TNQ ISA jury comprises nearly 40 eminent scientists from across the country, organised in four geographic panels to avoid conflict of interest. Every paper is evaluated by a minimum of three jury members. The top two papers from each panel are finally re-evaluated by the panel chairs, and two internationally renowned scientists who are independent of the jury process. One winner is selected from the re-evaluation process. Information about the jury is kept confidential.