Joel Habener

Joel Habener is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. His groundbreaking research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of incretin hormones and their therapeutic applications in metabolic disorders.

Dr. Habener's research focuses on endocrinology, particularly the role of incretin hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2). His pioneering work, conducted in collaboration with Svetlana Mojsov, elucidated the mechanisms of these hormones in glucose metabolism and gastrointestinal function, leading to revolutionary treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity that have impacted millions of patients worldwide.

Dr. Habener's exceptional scientific contributions have been recognized with an unprecedented series of prestigious international awards:

• Warren Alpert Foundation Prize (2020)
• Canada Gairdner International Award (2021)
• VinFuture Prize (2023)
• Princess of Asturias Awards for Technical and Scientific Research (2024)
• Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science (2024)
• Lasker Award for Clinical Research (2024)
• BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Biology and Biomedicine (2024)
• Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (2025)

Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2020, Dr. Habener continues to lead research at the intersection of basic science and clinical medicine, with his discoveries forming the foundation for an entire class of medications that not only control blood sugar but also provide cardiovascular benefits and promote weight loss. His work exemplifies how fundamental biochemical research can translate into transformative clinical therapies.