The International Society for Transgenic Technologies (ISTT) is pleased to announce that the 12^th ISTT Prize will be awarded to Dr. Lluis Montoliu for his seminal work on YAC transgenesis that led the way for large DNA modifications in the mouse, and for his work in establishment of the ISTT.  The ISTT Prize is awarded to investigators who have made outstanding contributions to the field of transgenic technologies.  The awardee for the 12^th ISTT Prize was chosen by the ISTT Prize Committee, which consists of the ISTT President, Vice President, Past President, the CEO of genOway (the company that generously sponsors the award), and all previous ISTT prize awardees.

The Award Committee considered that Dr. Montoliu’s work that established artificial chromosome-type mouse transgenesis led to a new foray into genetically modified organisms that allowed for inclusion of critical regulatory elements that were often missing in previous experiments, thereby represents a major improvement in transgenic technology.  In addition, he also seeded the development of an inclusive organization that would represent the needs and interests of transgenic technologists, not only researchers but also technicians and others involved in the generation and analysis of transgenic animals, which came to full fruition and was founded as the International Society of Transgenic Technologies (ISTT), in January of 2006, and served as the first President from 2006 to 2014.