A 65-year-old Indian American scientist will receive the prestigious ‘National Medal of Science’ award from US President Barack Obama this week, the White House has said.

Rakesh K Jain, is a prominent member of the Harvard Medical School faculty has been recognized with the nation’s highest honor for achievement and leadership in advancing science.

Congrats to Prof. Rakesh Jain for receiving the National Medal of Science https://t.co/oXqpJMOm8E pic.twitter.com/McWNv7o7bl

— Harvard Med School (@harvardmed) December 23, 2015

Jain, a professor of tumor biology at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Harvard Medical School, will receive the award from Obama along with 16 other recipients of the ‘National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology and Innovation’ on May 19.

The award function was initially scheduled for January 22 but was postponed due to a major snow storm.

Awarded annually, the Medal of Science recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science, engineering and mathematics.

The National Medal of Technology and Innovation recognises those who have made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness and quality of life and helped strengthen nation’s technological workforce.

Jain’s distinguished career includes being elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering.

“Science and technology are fundamental to solving some of our nation’s biggest challenges,” President Obama said in a statement released Dec. 22 announcing the awards. “The knowledge produced by these Americans today will carry our country’s legacy of innovation forward and continue to help countless others around the world. Their work is a testament to American ingenuity.”

Mr Jain, an IIT-Kanpur alumnus, has received numerous awards for his work on tumour biology, particularly research on the link between tumour blood vessels and improving the effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

He received his B Tech degree from the IIT-Kanpur in Chemical Engineering in 1972.

The National Medal of Science was created by statute in 1959 and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation.