The award runs every two years and is designed to support scholarly excellence in intellectual history and to promote the best PhD theses in the history of medicine and science with a focus on Europe, throughout the period 500-1800. It is named after the Italian physician Santorio Santori (1561-1636), who introduced the quantitative method to medicine.

The award consists of a cash prize of € 1.500 for the first position, plus medal, diploma, and a publication for the first two selected works with the series Palgrave Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Medicine (PSMEMM).

The award is open to PhD students and early career scholars of all nationalities within six years from their viva. An indicative list of the fields of study eligible for the Santorio Award is provided under the heading Publications.

Applicants should attach to the application a significant chapter of their thesis, along with a table of content of the entire work, a cover letter, and an updated CV, specifying the object Santorio Award. The chapter must be provided with footnotes and a full bibliography. Note that publication is agreed upon separately by the editors of the series upon the entire manuscript passing the double peer-review process and it is subject to final approval by Palgrave Macmillan – Springer. Chapters can be originally written in any language but must be translated into English to be evaluated.

Upon submitting their work, applicants have to specify the original language in which the work has been written. They must also formally commit, in the cover letter, to make available the entire manuscript in English in case of a successful outcome.

Each applicant will select one referee, preferably their PhD supervisor, and attach their reference letter to the application, which must be signed and dated on headed paper. 

Queries about the grant can be submitted directly to the director at fb@csmbr.fondazionecomel.org.