| Year | Speaker |
| 2023 | Tony Hyman |
| 2022 | Jue Chen |
| 2019 | Patrick Cramer |
| 2018 | Jef Boeke |
| 2017 | Lucy Shapiro |
| 2016 | Carol Robinson |
| 2015 | Thomas Kirchhausen |
| 2014 | Carlos Bustamante |
| 2013 | David Baker |
| 2012 | Peter G. Schultz |
| 2011 | J. Craig Venter |
| 2010 | Titia de Lange |
| 2009 | Randy Schekman |
| 2008 | Charles Zuker |
| 2007 | C. Walsh |
| 2006 | S.L. Lindquist |
| 2005 | R. Jaenisch |
| 2004 | A. Ciechanover |
| 2003 | A. Hellenius |
| 2002 | H. Noller |
| 2001 | R.Y. Tsien |
| 2000 | D. Koshland |
| 1999 | G.R. Fink |
| 1998 | D. Oesterhelt |
| 1997 | J.E. Walker |
| 1996 | G. Winter |
| 1995 | P.A. Sharp |
| 1994 | A.G. Gilman |
| 1993 | H. Pelham |
| 1992 | P. Nurse |
| 1991 | J.A. Steitz |
| 1990 | H. Khorana |
| 1989 | G.R. Radda |
| 1988 | S. Numa |
| 1987 | W. Gilbert |
| 1986 | K. Bloch |
| 1985 | P. Berg |
| 1984 | J. Darnell Jr. |
| 1983 | G. Blobel |
| 1982 | E. Racker |
| 1981 | F. Sanger |
| 1980 | J.D. Watson |
