Two Excellent Young Researchers Honoured in Heidelberg

6 February 2018

Marieke Essers and Theodore Alexandrov have received Chica and Heinz Schaller Award for basic biomedical research

Photo: Rothe

Chica und Heinz Schaller Award for basic biomedical research: Dr Marieke Essers (second from right) and Dr Theodore Alexandrov (centre) receiving the award. The award was handed over by the foundation's Chairperson, Prof. Dr Rohini Kuner (second from left), Board member Prof. Dr Karoly Nikolich (left) und Prof. Dr Hans-Georg Kräusslich (right), Chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Council.

The Chica and Heinz Schaller Foundation honoured two excellent young researchers in Heidelberg with a highly endowed award for their work in the field of basic biomedical research. Dr Marieke Essers of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Dr Theodore Alexandrov from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) will each receive 100,000 euros. With the award named for its two benefactors, the Foundation recognizes Dr Essers' groundbreaking research on blood-forming stem cells and their activation under stress, such as after an infection. Dr Alexandrov is being honoured for his pioneering work in metabolome research, in which he is applying computer-assisted methods to investigate the characteristic metabolic properties of biological systems. The award ceremony at Heidelberg University was held on 5 February 2018.

The foundation established by researchers Prof. Dr Chica Schaller and Prof. Dr Heinz Schaller has been supporting basic biomedical research in Heidelberg since 2000. Funding programmes include grants for researchers and an endowed professorship. The foundation is particularly committed to setting up and financing the "Schaller Research Groups" of Heidelberg University, Heidelberg University Hospital, and the German Cancer Research Center. The award named for its two benefactors is one of the foundation’s major funding instruments and has been presented annually since 2005 to outstanding young researchers in Heidelberg. The Chica and Heinz Schaller Research Award is endowed with funding in the amount of 100,000 euros.

The two prize winners gave brief presentations (in English) on their research at the award ceremony on the premises of the Marsilius Kolleg. The address honouring Dr Essers was given by Prof. Dr Petra Boukamp, a researcher at the IUF – Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine. Prof. Dr Rüdiger Hell of the Centre for Organismal Studies at Heidelberg University payed tribute to Dr Alexandrov's work.