{"id":38977,"date":"2026-06-30T13:19:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T11:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/?p=38977"},"modified":"2026-06-30T13:19:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T11:19:56","slug":"criion-joachim-frank-prize-2026-awarded-to-cancer-researchers-in-freiburg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/criion-joachim-frank-prize-2026-awarded-to-cancer-researchers-in-freiburg\/","title":{"rendered":"CRIION Joachim Frank Prize 2026 awarded to cancer researchers in Freiburg"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Freiburg, 26\/06\/2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday, 25 June 2026, several Freiburg cancer researchers were honoured at the presentation of the CRIION Joachim Frank Prize 2026. Among them was Prof. Dr Robert Zeiser, who received the Prize for Biomedical Research. Prof. Dr J\u00fcrgen Finke, PD Dr Florian Scherer and PD Dr Elisabeth Schorb of the University Medical Center Freiburg, together with Prof. Dr Gerald Illerhaus of Stuttgart Hospital, were awarded the Prize for Clinical Medicine.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Dr Robert Zeiser and Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr Joachim Frank during the award ceremony for the CRIION Joachim Frank Prize. Photo: Matthias Wolpert<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The CRIION Joachim Frank Prize recognises outstanding scientific achievements that bridge the gap between theoretical research and clinical application. It is awarded by the Collaborative Research Institute Intelligent Oncology (CRIION) and the BioThera \u2013 Mertelsmann Foundation in cooperation with the University of Freiburg. The prizes were presented in person on 25 June 2026 at the Haus zur Lieben Hand at the University of Freiburg by Prof. Dr Joachim Frank, a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and professor at Colombia University who holds multiple honorary doctorates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, the CRIION Joachim Frank Prize was awarded in two separate categories for the first time: biomedical research and clinical medicine. The prize money of 25,000 euros was divided equally between the two categories. Several cancer researchers from Freiburg were honoured, including Prof. Dr Robert Zeiser<\/strong>, who received the prize for Biomedical Research. Zeiser is a member of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Freiburg and of the CIBSS \u2013 Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, a Cluster of Excellence at the University of Freiburg, as well as a research group leader at the Medical Center \u2013 University of Freiburg.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Biomedical Research Prize awarded to Prof. Dr Robert Zeiser<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Zeiser, who was honoured in 2025 with Germany\u2019s highest research award, the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, has been conducting research for many years into how stem cell transplants can be made safer and more effective in cancer treatment. \u201cThrough his outstanding scientific achievements, Mr Zeiser is making a pioneering contribution to improving human health in the field of stem cell transplantation,\u201d said Frank. By unravelling complex immunological mechanisms, his team has developed new therapeutic approaches that reduce dangerous rejection reactions by the immune system and improve patients\u2019 chances of survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Clinical Medicine Prize awarded to four researchers specialising in CNS lymphomas<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Four researchers have been awarded the CRIION Joachim Frank Prize for Clinical Medicine in recognition of their work, which has made a significant contribution to the field of CNS lymphoma research: Prof. Dr J\u00fcrgen Finke<\/strong>, PD Dr Florian Scherer<\/strong> and PD Dr Elisabeth Schorb<\/strong> from the Medical Center \u2013 Unviersity of Freiburg, and Prof. Dr Gerald Illerhaus<\/strong> from Klinikum Stuttgart (each receiving prize money amounting to 3,125 euros). The four medical researchers specialise in the study and treatment of primary CNS lymphomas, rare and often aggressive tumours of the central nervous system. Under Freiburg\u2019s leadership, several groundbreaking international studies were conducted, including the world\u2019s largest randomised trials on the subject: the MATRix\/IELSG43 trial, involving 346 patients from 56 international centres, and the MARTA trial have established new treatment standards and significantly improved the therapeutic options for this complex disease.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The award winners include Prof. Dr. J\u00fcrgen Finke, Prof. Dr. Gerald Illerhaus, PD Dr. Elisabeth Schorb and PD Dr. Florian Scherer. Photo: Matthias Wolpert<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Close collaboration between the University, the Medical Center and the Mertelsmann Foundation<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The evening was hosted by Jun.-Prof. Dr Maria Kalweit, Chief Scientific Officer at CRIION and holder of the CRIION Chair in Bioinformatics \u2013 funded by the Mertelsmann Foundation \u2013 with a focus on artificial intelligence for oncology research at the University of Freiburg. Prof. Dr Michael Schwarze<\/strong>, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs at the University of Freiburg, delivered a welcoming address, emphasising the importance of close collaboration between the University, the Medica Center and the foundation for Freiburg as a centre of research. \u201cThis occasion reminds us of the responsibility that comes with scientific excellence and of the privilege of working at an institution that takes this responsibility seriously. I would like to thank the \u2018BioThera \u2013 Roland Mertelsmann Foundation\u2019 and CRIION for establishing this prize and for their ongoing commitment to research and teaching at our university. I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Professor Zeiser and the CNS Lymphoma Research Group,\u201d said Schwarze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event was accompanied by music performed by members of the University Orchestra. In addition to the prizes, works of art by two young artists from the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden K\u00fcnste Stuttgart (State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart) were also presented.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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CRIION Joachim Frank Prize<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The CRIION Joachim Frank Prize is awarded by the Collaborative Research Institute Intelligent Oncology (CRIION) and the BioThera \u2013 Mertelsmann Foundation in cooperation with the University of Freiburg. In line with the guiding principle \u2018Bright minds for a better world\u2019 of the founder of the Mertelsmann Foundation, Prof. Dr Roland Mertelsmann<\/strong>, who also holds multiple honorary degrees, the prize honours researchers who, through outstanding scientific achievements, make a significant contribution to the understanding and treatment of cancer, thereby combining scientific excellence with clinical relevance. The CRIION Joachim Frank Prize has been awarded annually since 2025 and is presented alternately in Buenos Aires and Freiburg.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Dr Joachim Frank<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The German-American biophysicist Prof. Dr Joachim Frank is a professor at Columbia University and is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern cryo-electron microscopy. In 2017, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, jointly with Prof. Dr Jacques Dubochet<\/strong> and Prof. Dr Richard Henderson<\/strong>, for his methodological developments in single-particle analysis. His work has fundamentally transformed our understanding of biological processes at the molecular level and provided important impetus for today\u2019s cancer research. Frank studied at the University of Freiburg, amongst other institutions, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Faculty of Biology in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\tContact\t<\/p>\n\t

\n\t\tUniversity and Science Communications\t<\/p>\n\t

\n\t\tUniversity of Freiburg
Tel.: +49 761 203 4302<\/a>
E-Mail: kommunikation@zv.uni-freiburg.de<\/a>\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The CRIION Joachim Frank Prize recognises outstanding scientific achievements that bridge the gap between theoretical research and clinical application. It is awarded by the Collaborative Research Institute Intelligent Oncology (CRIION) and the BioThera \u2013 Mertelsmann Foundation in cooperation with the University of Freiburg. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":38980,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_trash_the_other_posts":false,"editor_notices":[],"_show_in_pageentry_slider":true,"_pageentry_slider_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[54,43,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-achievement","category-awarded","category-cibbs"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/61\/Zeiser-und-Frank-Matthias-Wolpert-scaled.jpg","featured_image_alt":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/77"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38977"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38977\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38986,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38977\/revisions\/38986"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni-freiburg.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}