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Prof. Ugur Sahin Receives German Cancer Award 2019

Prestigious award for Mainz cancer scientist

Source: University Medical Center Mainz

Prof. Dr. Ugur Sahin has been awarded the German Cancer Award 2019, one of the most prestigious distinctions in cancer medicine in Germany. Prof. Sahin receives the award in the category Translational Research for his seminal work on individualized cancer immunotherapies, in particular for the development and clinical testing of mRNA-based vaccines that are tailored to each patient´s mutation profile.

Every patient’s cancer is unique. Ugur Sahin and his team are developing technologies to identify and exploit the distinct characteristics of each cancer in combination with innovative treatment approaches that direct the immune system to recognize the patient’s specific tumor and destroy it.

Ugur Sahin is Professor at the University Medical Center Mainz, member of the board of directors of the University Cancer Center Mainz, co-founder of the non-profit translational oncology research institute TRON and the private biotechnology companies Ganymed Pharmaceuticals and BioNTech. Sahin’s key focus is solving deeply rooted challenges in the complex process of translating innovation from the lab bench to the patient’s bedside, a mission that was originally prompted by his experience as a physician. His work has resulted in the development of various novel immunotherapies that are currently being evaluated in the clinic. 

“Ugur Sahin is an innovator and leader in the cancer immunotherapy field. We are very proud of his accomplishments and the continued acknowledgement of his groundbreaking work in deciphering the genome of each patient’s tumor and developing the corresponding personalized treatments,” explains the Chief Scientific Officer and Dean of the University Medical Center Mainz Prof. Dr.  Ulrich Förstermann. Prof. Dr. Norbert Pfeiffer, Chair of the executive board and Chief Medical Officer, adds: “The work of Ugur Sahin describes translation par excellence: Results from basic research in immunology are immediately transposed to clinical work. This rapid implementation from ‘bench to bedside’ is a special strength of our university medical center.”

The German Cancer Award is awarded annually by the German Cancer Society and German Cancer Foundation and honors outstanding achievements in the field of clinical, translational and experimental cancer research in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This year’s ceremony was held in conjunction with the 20th international AEK Cancer Congress in Heidelberg, Germany on February 27th, 2019.

 

Press contact
Dr. Renée Dillinger-Reiter,Corporate Communications, University Medical Center Mainz
phone +49 6131 17-7428, fax +49 6131 17-3496, e-mail: pr@unimedizin-mainz.de

About the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
The University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is the only medical institution of supra-maximum supply in Rhineland-Palatinate and an internationally recognized science location. It comprises more than 60 clinics, institutes and departments working interdisciplinary. Highly specialized patient care, research and teaching form an inseparable unit in the Mainz University Medical Center. Around 3,400 students of medicine and dentistry are trained in Mainz. With approximately 8,000 employees, the Mainz University Medical Center is also one of the largest employers in the region and an important driver of growth and innovation. More information available online at www.unimedizin-mainz.de/index.php?id=240&L=1