Student Awards and Grants

CRYO2018 Winners

Each year the Society for Cryobiology awards approximately $20,000 in travel grants to student members from around the world enabling them to travel to the meeting to present their research. A further $3,000+ in prize money is awarded to the winners of our competitive prizes, the Peter L. Steponkus Crystal Award, John K. Critser Award, and the winner of the Poster competition.  

The purposes of the Student Awards Program are to promote the participation of student in scientific research and dissemination of such knowledge in cryobiology, and to improve scientific exchange and communication for young international cryobiology researchers. This aids in achieving one of our primary objectives: "to improve scientific understanding in cryobiology, and to disseminate and apply this knowledge for the benefit of mankind.”

Peter L. Steponkus Crystal Award Competition 
The top four applicants, as selected by the Student Awards Committee, will present their work in a special session during the meeting. The winner of the Peter L. Steponkus Crystal Award receives an honorarium of $1,000.

John K. Critser Student Travel Award 
The Critser Award offers a variable amount, based on need, to support meeting travel and expenses, awarded to the top ranked student extended abstract. This award is generously endowed by the Critser Family.

Student Poster Competition 
All student posters are eligible to enter the student poster competition. The winner receives an honorarium of $500. 

Student Travel Grants
Exact award amounts will depend on your geographic location and are at the discretion of the Student Awards Committee. Grants may be used for registration, travel, or accommodation. Grants usually range between $300 – $1,000. 

Entry Criteria
To enter the student awards you must be a current student member of the Society for Cryobiology. Student membership is free with supporting evidence of full time student status.

How to Apply 
Please see the details on CRYO2024.com for application details. 


Peter L. Steponkus Crystal Award Winners

Iqra Azam, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
Multiscale Transport and 4D Time-Lapse Imaging in Precision Cut Liver Slices 

2022 Logan Brown, University of New Hampshire, USA
Structural and Functional Characterization of Antifreeze Protein
 APAFP752

2021 Shen Ren, University of Washington, USA
Successful Vitreous Cryopreservation of Rabbit Jugular Vein using Magnetic Nanoparticles Enhanced Single_Mode Electromagnetic Resonannce Rewarming System

2020 Purva Joshi, Carnegie Mellon University, USA
Thermal Analysis of Nanowarming in a Human Heart and a Rat Heart Model

2019 Kanav Khosla, University of Minnesota, USA
Successful Cryopreservation of Zebrafish Embryos follows by Hatching and Spawning with Laser Gold Nanowarming

2018 Zoran Marinovic
, Szent István University, Hungary

Testis Cryopreservation and Spermatogonia Transplantation as a Tool for Zebrafish Line Reconstitution 

2017 Jiaji Pan, University of Washington, USA
Optimization of EM resonance rewarming for cryopreservation of large biomaterial: hybrid EM-conduction rewarming and embdedded nanoparticle enhancement

2016 Miao Zhang, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
Combining endocytic and freezing-induced trehalose uptake for cryopreservation of mammalian cells

2015 Jennie Briard, University of Ottawa, Canada
Carbohydrate-Based Small Molecule Ice Recrystallization Inhibitors as Cryopreservatives for Red Blood Cells

2014 Daisuke Takahashi, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan
Compositional and Functional Analyses of Glyco-sylphosphatidylinositol-anchored Protein (GPIAP) During Plant Cold Acclimation

2013 Justin S. Feig, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Integration of polarized light into scanning cryomacroscopy

2012 Ruqayyah Almizraq, University of Alberta, Canada
The effects of biochemical rejuvenation on red blood cell microvesiculation, phosphatidylserine and CD47 expression during hypothermic storage

2011 Allyson K. Fry, Oregon State University, USA
Rational design of toxicity minimized cryoprotectant addition and removal procedures for vitrification of adherent cell monolayers

2010 Ida Risenga, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Does cryo-preparative drying cause apoptotic-like programmed cell death or necrosis in isolated eucalyptus grandis axillary buds?

2009 Alireza Abazari, University of Alberta, Canada
Modeling transport phenomena in cartilage

2008 First Equal Jelena L. Holovati, University of Alberta, Canada
Liposomes improve recovery and minimize membrane injury of frozen red blood cells

2008 First Equal James D. Benson, University of Missouri-Columbia, USA
A coupled concentration and fluid transport model for cells, tissues and their boundary layers

2007 Andrew D. Weiss, University of Alberta, Canada
Contributions of individual cryoprotective agents to the glass stability of solutions

2006 Shannon L. Stott, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
Cell perimeter modulates the kinetics of intracellular ice formation and frequency of paracellular ice formation in micropatterned endothelial cells

2005 Ansgar Petersen, Helmholtz Institute Aachen, Germany
Ice nucleus formation on demand and its benefits for freeze applications

2004 Julia Kopeika, University of Luton, UK
Cryoinjury to the genome. Any consequences?

2003 Kristi K. Snyder, State University of New York-Binghamton, USA
Cardiomyocyte responses to thermal excursions: implications for electrophysiological cardiac mapping

2002 Phillip H. Purdy, Colorado State University, USA
Flow cytometric assessment of fluctuations in the membrane fluidity and viability of chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and bull sperm cells using the fluorescent stains TMAP-DPH and propidium iodide

2001 Nancy Ekdawi-Sever, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
Optimization of the freeze-drying protocol for maximum cell recovery

2000 Abira Pyne, University of Minnesota, USA
Crystallization of mannitol below the glass transition temperature in binary and ternary systems during freeze-drying

1999 John M. Baust, State University of New York-Binghamton, USA
Identification and quantification of cryopreservation induced apoptosis

1998 Ramachandra Devireddy, University of Minnesota, USA
Water Permeability Parameters of Mouse Sperm during Freezing in the Presence of Extracellular Ice and Glycerol

1997 Ralph Speetzen, Helmholtz Institute Aachen, Germany
MRI-controlled minimally invasive interstitial cryotherapy of the liver by percutaneous access

1996 Jiang Zhang, Cornell University, USA
Proposed mechanism for depression of the liquid-crystalline-to-gel phase transition temperature of phospholipids in dehydrated sugar-phospholipid mixtures

1995 John A. Mugnano, Miami University, USA
Antifreeze glycoproteins promote lethal intracellular freezing of rat cardiomyocytes at high subzero temperatures

1994 Poula Reinhoud, Leiden University, The Netherlands
Vitrification of tobacco cells: cryoprotection by proline

1993 Jens O.M. Karlsson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
A model of crystal growth in cells during cryopreservation

1992 Carol A. Podlasek, University of Notre Dame, USA
A study of polyol metabolism in hyalophora cecropia by 19H and 13C NMR spectroscopy


 

Student Best Poster Competition Winners

2023 

Best In Person Poster 
Zonghu Han,
University of Minnesota, USA
Model-Guided Design and Optimization of CPA Perfusion Protocols for Whole Organ Cryopreservation

Best Virtual Poster 
Sarah Breedon,
Carleton University, Canada
Sub-Zero MicroRNA Expression in the Liver of Frozen Chrysemys Pica Marginata


 2022 

Best In Person Poster 
Yanan Gao, Warwick University UK
Evaluating L-Proline as a Cryoprotectant for 3 and 3-D Cell Models 

Best Virtual Poster 
Tighe Bloskie, Carleton University, Canada
Frozen Brain Epigenetics: Reduced H3K9 Methylation in Wood Frog Metabolic Recovery 


 

2021 - Best Virtual Poster
Martin Daily, Leeds University, UK
A Biocompatible Ice Nucleating Agent Eliminates Supercooling and Enhances Cell Cryopreservation in 96-Well Plates

2020 - Best Virtual Poster 
Hiroki Watanabe, Shinsgu University, Japan
Development of Automatic Thawing Apparatus for Cryoprotectant-Free Cryopreservation

2019 Kezhou Wu, University of Alberta, Canada
Surrounding Vitrification Solution is not required for Vitrification of Articular Cartilage 

2018 Mélanie Chow-Shi-Yée, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada
Protection against cell death during cryopreservation with wheat proteins: which mode of cell death? 

2017 Kezhou Wu, University of Alberta, Canada
Optimization of additives to mitigate chondrocyte toxicity during exposure to cryoprotective agents

2016 Vanessa Musca, University of Ottawa, Canada
Importance of the C1 heteroatom in aryl glycoside ice recrystallization inhibitors

2015 Jaanika Edesi, University of Oulu, Finland 
The Effect of Light Spectral Quality on Cryopreservation Success of Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Shoot Tips

2014 Michal Zielinski, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada 
Comparison of Non-ideal Solution Theories for Multi-solute Solutions in Cryobiology and Tabulation of Required Coefficients

2013 Ran Drori, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel 
Kinetics of hyperactive and moderate antifreeze proteins

2012 Nadia Canorio Pariona,  Univesidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Peru 
Cryocapacitation of Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) sperm cell