ProLife Europe is the only university-based pro-life organization in Europe dedicated to the protection and advocacy of human life. Founded in 2019 by young adults in their 20s and 30s from various European countries, the organization firmly opposes euthanasia, in vitro fertilization, and assisted suicide. It views the unborn child as the most vulnerable and places a strong emphasis on the issue of abortion.
Guided by its principle, "Life is life – no exceptions, from conception to natural death," ProLife Europe currently operates with 137 official student volunteers and 300 supporting volunteers. They conduct educational programs for students and local communities, offering sessions four times a month, each lasting two hours. To date, the organization has carried out 345 sessions, educating over 4,000 students and training approximately 1,200 pro-life leaders. Through public and community outreach, they have helped raise awareness among more than 20,000 individuals on the importance of respecting life.
ProLife Europe has also supported the establishment of over 50 active groups across more than ten European countries, encouraging the younger generation to recognize and live out the value of life on their university campuses. In recognition of its inspiring efforts to cultivate a sustainable culture of life among youth, ProLife Europe has been selected as the recipient of the Achievement Award for Activities at the 19th Mystery of Life Awards.
Professor Jun R. Huh of Harvard Medical School, the recipient of the Grand Prize in Life Sciences, is a distinguished scientist who has made significant contributions to the development of treatments for individuals suffering from autism.
He identified a mechanism that increases the risk of autism, revealing that maternal infection during pregnancy leads to an excessive production of the immune molecule interleukin-17 (IL-17). This, in turn, suppresses fetal neural activity. Furthermore, his research demonstrated that postnatal administration of IL-17 directly into the brain has a calming effect, indicating its potential to alleviate autistic symptoms.
These groundbreaking findings were published in the world-renowned journals Science (2016) and Nature (2017), and have been recognized as paradigm-shifting achievements in the field of life sciences.
Professor Huh was selected as the recipient of Achievement Award for Life Sciences at the 19th Mystery of Life Awards for his deep compassion and sense of responsibility toward those who suffer, his dedication to developing therapies for individuals with autism, and his embodiment of Catholic bioethical principles that uphold the dignity of human life.
Professor Jina Jang of Pohang University of Science and Technology is a pioneering researcher who firmly believes that engineering and technology can offer solutions to intractable human diseases. For over thirteen years, she has led research and development in the field of biofabrication—a cutting-edge technology that enables the artificial creation of biological tissues and organs.
She has been at the forefront of regenerative medicine by integrating 3D bioprinting technologies for practical applications and commercialization. Notably, Professor Jang developed a chamber-shaped cardiac muscle construct using 3D bioprinting based on adult stem cells, successfully reproducing the phenomenon of left ventricular torsion for the first time in the world. This groundbreaking achievement was published in the prestigious journal Advanced Materials (2024) and was featured as the Inside Front Cover Article.
Professor Jang has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the development of technologies that may help overcome intractable diseases. Her exceptional research achievements and high potential for future advancement led to her selection as the recipient of the Encouragement Award for Life Sciences at the 19th Mystery of Life Awards.
Encouragement Award for Humanities and Social Sciences
Details of achievements
Seo Hyo-in is a highly regarded young poet who has received multiple prestigious literary honors, including the Kim Soo-young Literary Award (2011), the Daesan Literary Award (2017), and the Cheon Sang-byeong Poetry Award (2018). Since debuting as a poet at the age of 25, he has published five poetry collections and six essay collections, while also contributing to over ten collaborative writing projects—maintaining an active and diverse literary career.
Seo’s works reflect not only anger and resistance toward a reality in which the dignity of life is often oppressed, but also a profound commitment to love rooted in the value of existence and the sanctity of life. In particular, after the birth of his daughter with Down syndrome in 2013, he published the essay collection Welcome, My Daughter (2014), conveying a powerful message about the beauty and significance of life’s arrival through the lens of a father’s personal experience.
Beyond his literary work, Seo has been active in public discourse, appearing on platforms such as the EBS Parenting School and podcasts hosted by the Korea Disabled People's Development Institute, advocating for a society where people with and without disabilities live together in harmony.
Currently serving as the CEO of the independent publishing house Anon Books, Seo continues to promote the values of literature and life through various publishing endeavors. For these contributions, he has been selected as the recipient of the Encouragement Award for Humanities and Social Sciences at the 19th Mystery of Life Awards.
