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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Berlin, May 30, 2025. Prof. Dr. Annette Schürmann from the German Center for Diabetes Research and the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE) was honored this year with the Paul Langerhans Medal, the highest award of the German Diabetes Association (DDG). With this award, the DDG honors Prof. Schürmann’s extraordinary scientific life’s work in the field of diabetology. The award ceremony took place on May 30 as part of the DDG’s annual conference in Berlin.
The diabetes researcher is a board member of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) and heads the Department of Experimental Diabetology at the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE). In her research, she focuses in particular on genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, as well as on investigating the protective effects of diet and exercise. “Her research has made a significant contribution to understanding the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes,” said this year’s congress president Prof. Dr. Martin Heni in recognition of the award winner.
For example, Schürmann and her team have deciphered possible molecular protective mechanisms in the mouse model that prevent a loss of function of the insulin-producing beta cells in diabetes-resistant mice. They were also able to show that a large part of the genes relevant to the protective mechanism also play a role in humans, which provides new approaches for possible therapies for type 2 diabetes.
Promoting Young Talent
In addition to her scientific excellence, Prof. Schürmann is committed to promoting young scientists. As a long-standing patron of the DDG’s “Nachwuchs” working group, she has made a decisive contribution to inspiring and promoting young doctors and scientists for diabetology and diabetes research. “Only if we manage to get young doctors and aspiring researchers interested in the field of diabetology again will we be able to provide sustainable care for the nine million people currently affected by diabetes,” says Schürmann. She sees great potential in the next generation of doctors to recognize the existing shortcomings in diabetology expertise in clinics and practices and to actively work towards improvements.
“Prof. Schürmann’s award is a great honor for the entire DZD. It is a prime example of the excellent translational research that we are driving forward together with our partners,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Martin Hrabě de Angelis, spokesman and board member of the DZD.
Prof. Dr. Tilman Grune, Scientific Director of the DIfE, adds: “We are extremely pleased that Prof. Schürmann has been awarded the Paul Langerhans Medal of the DDG. Her research has fundamentally advanced our understanding of diabetes and the award is a well-deserved testament to her impressive scientific work. We are proud to have her at our institute and congratulate her on this outstanding achievement!”
About the Person
Prof. Dr. Annette Schürmann is an internationally recognized molecular biologist and researches the genetic and epigenetic causes of obesity and type 2 diabetes. She completed her doctorate in 1991 at the Institute of Pharmacology at the Georg-August University of Göttingen. Her scientific career led her to the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE) via RWTH Aachen University and a research stay at the Scripps Research Institute (USA) in 2002.
in 2009, Schürmann took over the professorship for Experimental Diabetology at the University of Potsdam and has since headed the Department of Experimental Diabetology at the DIfE. She has been the spokesperson of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) since 2014 and a member of the board since 2024.
She has received several awards for her outstanding scientific achievements, including the Werner Creutzfeldt Prize (2016), the DAG Medal (2021) and the Hellmut Otto Medal (2021).
Prof. Dr. Annette Schürmann.
DZD / Matthias Balk
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Prof. Dr. Annette Schürmann.
DZD / Matthias Balk
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