idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
EKFS provides long-term support to outstanding physicians with €1.1 million each
Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, December 10, 2025 – In 2025, the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) will once again award three Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Professorships. It will thus ensure long-term support for physicians who combine clinical care and scientific research at the highest level. Each professorship is endowed with €1.1 million and has a maximum term of ten years. This year, the EKFS is supporting outstanding clinician scientists who work in the fields of pediatrics, anesthesiology/intensive care, and hematology/stem cell transplantation.
With this annual funding, the EKFS creates reliable conditions for advanced clinician scientists who split their time equally between clinical practice and research. This structure enables them to systematically advance innovative research approaches and to integrate their scientific findings into patient care more rapidly.
“We want to offer long-term career perspectives to physicians who combine clinical excellence with scientific innovation,” says Prof. Dr. Michael Madeja, Chair of the EKFS Management Board. “With the Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Professorships, we have developed a model to close a critical gap in today’s research landscape.”
A total of 26 faculties submitted applications for the 2025 call. The three physicians selected presented their research proposals during a two-step evaluation procedure. Their projects combine exceptionally high scientific standards with innovative, promising approaches and clear relevance to everyday clinical practice. The new Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Professorships impressed the selection committee with extensive resources through clinician scientist programs, the successful acquisition of third-party funding, and excellent publications.
Transforming lymphoma care through molecularly guided personalized therapy: Dr. Stefan K. Alig, University Hospital Essen
Lymphoma treatment often follows standardized approaches, even though these diseases vary widely in their molecular characteristics. Modern liquid biopsy methods – blood tests capable of detecting even the smallest tumor-derived molecules such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) – now provide a considerably more precise view of disease biology and its dynamics over time. In this project, ultrasensitive ctDNA analyses will be used to identify molecular changes through a simple blood draw, establish individualized risk profiles, and detect relapses early, before clinical symptoms appear. At the same time, the underlying biological mechanisms of these changes will be investigated, with the aim of translating these insights into practical diagnostic tools that enable personalized lymphoma therapy. Further information: https://aliglab.github.io
Pediatric experimental and translational imaging: Prof. Dr. Dr. Ferdinand Knieling, MHBA, University Hospital Erlangen
The focus is on developing innovative imaging and biomarker-based diagnostics tailored specifically to the needs of children and adolescents. The goal is to link new therapeutic approaches with precise, early, and individualized diagnostic methods in order to enable age-appropriate, evidence-based treatment. Research approaches include experimental and translational imaging, biomarker development, and predictive testing systems for personalized treatment decisions. These will help to improve early detection, precision, and treatment outcomes in pediatric care. Further information: www.petilab.med.fau.de
Individualized and rational use of extracorporeal procedures in critically ill patients: PD Dr. Christina Scharf-Janßen, MBA, Department of Anesthesiology, LMU University Hospital Munich
In modern-day intensive care medicine, many organ functions can be substituted temporarily and harmful substances removed from the bloodstream. Such substitution and purification processes include dialysis in case of kidney or liver failure and the use of adsorbers to remove cytokines, bilirubin, or myoglobin. To enable the more targeted use of these methods in the future, a better understanding of both the functioning of the devices used and the underlying diseases is required. It is essential to demonstrate that patients truly benefit – for example, through improved survival rates, enhanced organ recovery, and better quality of life. At the same time, it is important to identify who can no longer benefit from these treatments. PD Dr. Scharf-Janßen is planning clinical studies, translational research, and algorithms to personalize treatment. Further information: www.lmu-klinikum.de/anaesthesiologie/forschung/unsere-forschungsschwerpunkte/intensivmedizinische-forschung/dialyse-und-adsorptionsverfahren-bei-schwer-kranken-patientinnen/9445523837244998
Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) – Advancing research. Helping people.
The Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung is a nonprofit foundation that promotes medical research and supports humanitarian projects. To date the foundation has funded around 2,800 projects. With an annual funding volume currently of approximately 60 million euros, it is the largest foundation in Germany supporting medical advancement. For more information, see www.ekfs.de.
Press officer
Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung
Bianka Jerke
Public Relations
Tel.: + 49 6172 8975-24
Email: b.jerke@ekfs.de
Anne Asschenfeldt
Scientific Funding: Ongoing Project Funding and Fellowships
a.asschenfeldt@ekfs.de
+49 (0)6172 8975-14
https://www.ekfs.de/en/current-topics/press/three-new-else-kroner-clinician-scie...
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