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Every two years, Goethe University presents the “Scientist of the Year” award to researchers from the university. Annually, the President of Goethe University bestows the New Horizon Prize. The awards honor outstanding research and teaching achievements.This year’s “Scientist of the Year” award goes to medical professionals Maria Vehreschild and Thomas Oellerich, while the “New Horizon – President's Prize" is awarded to the startup Modulux 3D.
FRANKFURT. “Nothing is as constant as change,” University President Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff emphasized in his welcome address at the festive award ceremony, referencing this famous quote by Heraclitus to make the point that changes also require creative design. “Today, we honor researchers who shape change – through knowledge, commitment, and a spirit of discovery, not just for themselves, but also for future generations, future leaders, and ultimately for society as a whole.” Schleiff expressed his gratitude to Gunther Ruppel, Chairman of the Board of the Alfons and Gertrud Kassel Foundation, Dr. Christian Zschocke, the initiator of the New Horizon Award, as well as the two laudators, Prof. Dr. Maike Windbergs Prof. Dr. Hubert Serve.
The 2025 “Scientist of the Year Award” from the Alfons and Gertrud Kassel Foundation was presented to two physicians. The first was Prof. Dr. Maria Vehreschild, “for her outstanding research in the field of infectiology and microbiome research, as well as her exceptional commitment to students, doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral researchers,” as stated in the award’s reasoning. The other award went to Prof. Dr. Thomas Oellerich, “for his groundbreaking research in the field of leukemia and lymphomas and his remarkable dedication to students, doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral researchers.” The recognition of the two awardees was delivered by Prof. Dr. Hubert Serve, Director of Medical Clinic 2 at University Hospital Frankfurt. Serve highlighted Thomas Oellerich’s thirst for knowledge and drive for action, saying that his papers, published in top-tier journals, carried a distinctive manuscript style. Maria Vehreschild, he noted, is shaping the field of infectiology in Germany; she was among the first in her field to address post-COVID conditions. Concluding his remarks, Serve expressed his pride and gratitude that both researchers are part of Medical Clinic 2.
The “Scientist of the Year Award” is presented every two years by Goethe University Frankfurt in collaboration with the Kassel Foundation to honor an outstanding researcher at Goethe University who serves as a role model. The award includes a prize of €25,000. Recipients of the “Scientist of the Year” award are professors at Goethe University who have demonstrated exceptional research achievements and have made significant contributions to supporting early-career researchers. Previous awardees include physicist Prof. Dr. Hannah Elfner, microbiologist Prof. Dr. Inga Hänelt, and atmospheric researcher Prof. Dr. Joachim Curtius.
This year’s recipient of the “New Horizon President’s Prize” is a team: Frankfurt-based Modulux 3D is composed of scientists, biotechnologists, optics specialists, and business developers. The team, consisting of Dr. Francesco Pampaloni, Louise Breideband, Levin Hafa and Zeeshan Mahmood, is working on an alternative to animal testing and has developed an innovative solution with the 3D bioprinter LUMINATE. Using patented technology that operates with colliding laser beams, it enables the creation of complex tissue and organ models. LUMINATE offers a promising option for pharmaceutical research seeking to reduce animal testing. Modulux 3D is supported by the Main/Rhein startup network (Unibator at Goethe University, HIGHEST at TU Darmstadt, as well as FUTURY the Future Factory). This year’s award presenter was Prof. Dr. Maike Windbergs, Managing Director of the Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology, who pointed out that Modulux 3D had courageously applied the pioneering work in Physical Biology developed by Prof. Dr. Ernst Stelzer at Goethe University. The team has also gained international partners and secured capital for their promising alternative to animal testing, Windbergs highlighted in her commendation.
With the €5,000 “New Horizon President’s Prize,” the President of Goethe University honors an individual or team at the university who, through their academic work or other forms of commitment to Goethe University, explores new ways of thinking while demonstrating curiosity, optimism, courage, and openness. The New Horizon Prize was awarded to business education expert Dr. Christin Siegfried in 2022, inclusion researcher Lukas Gerhard in 2023, and the Science Garden team in 2024. The New Horizon initiative was launched in 2016 by attorney Dr. Christian Zschocke to foster individuals with initiative and optimism. This year, the prize money was doubled thanks to the startup support fund Futury Capital.
About the Alfons and Gertrud Kassel Foundation: Established in 2007, the foundation aims to promote science, research, and teaching at Goethe University. It is funded by the endowment left by its founder, Gertrud Kassel. Through this endowment, the foundation supports numerous university projects.
Scientist of the Year: Prof. Dr. Maria Vehreschild and Prof. Dr. Thomas Oellerich
Quelle: Uwe Dettmar
Copyright: Goethe University Frankfurt
New Horizon: Team Modulux 3D (from left to right): Levin Hafa, Dr. Francesco Pampaloni and Louise Br ...
Quelle: Uwe Dettmar
Copyright: Goethe University Frankfurt
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