Prizes for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics

2016
Dr Zongjun Yin, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, China, receives the prize for his groundbreaking research on the origin of metazoans (animals) and their early fossil record in the Ediacaran of China.

2012
Alessandra Moretti, Technical University of Munich, receives the prize for her fundamental work on the significance of stem cells in the development of the human heart and in the study of hereditary heart diseases.

2010
Dr Birte Höcker, Tübingen, receives the prize for her outstanding contributions to understanding the evolution of enzymes.

2009
Dr Ilka Diester, Stanford, is awarded the prize for her work on the neuronal foundations of higher cognitive functions, in particular the existence of numerical categories in the cerebral cortex of non-human primates.

2008
Prof Dr Andreas Kappler, Geomicrobiology Research Group, Centre for Applied Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, is honoured for his groundbreaking research on the geobiology of the global microbial iron cycle.

2007
Prof Dr Judith Korb, University of Regensburg, Chair of Biology I, receives the award for her significant scientific work on the sociobiology of termite colonies.

2006
PD Dr Margarete Baier, Chair of Metabolic Physiology and Biochemistry of Plants, Faculty of Biology, University of Bielefeld, is awarded the prize for her outstanding contributions to research on the role of redox regulation in the adaptation of plant cell metabolism to changing environmental conditions.

2005
PD Dr Martin Göpfert, Brühl, receives the prize for his outstanding contributions to elucidating micromechanical and molecular processes in insect hearing.

2004
Dr Dr Stefan Engelhardt, Würzburg, is recognised for his work on the beta-adrenoceptor system in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

2003
Dr Dieter Glebe, Institute of Medical Virology, Faculty of Human Medicine, Gießen, receives the prize for his work “Pre-S1 Antigen-Dependent Infection of Tupaia Hepatocyte Cultures with Human Hepatitis B Virus.”

2002
PD Dr Brigitte Röder, Philipps University of Marburg, Institute of Psychology, is awarded for her work “Neurowissenschaftliche Untersuchungen über Auswirkungen von Erblindung auf kognitive Leistungen und deren neuronale Grundlagen” [Neuroscientific Studies on the Effects of Blindness on Cognitive Performance and Its Neuronal Foundations].

2001
PD Dr Petra Fromme, TU Berlin, Institute of Chemistry, Division of Physical, Biophysical and Theoretical Chemistry, is awarded a prize for her work “Kristallisation und funktionelle Strukturanalyse der Photosysteme I und II” [Crystallisation and functional structural analysis of photosystems I and II].

2000
PD Dr Renate Schmidt, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, receives the prize for her work on the physical mapping of chromosomes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.

1999
PD Dr Christof Niehrs, German Cancer Research Centre, Department of Molecular Embryology, Heidelberg, is honoured for his work on the molecular mechanism of head induction.

1998
Dr Ulrich Ermler, Frankfurt am Main

1997
PD Dr Klaus-Gerhard Heller, Erlangen-Nuremberg

1996
PD Dr Rudolf Ignaz Amann, Munich

1995
PD Dr Reinhard Töpfer, Siebeldingen

1994
Dr Andreas Holzenburg, Leeds, UK

1993
PD Dr Norbert Sauer, Regensburg

1992
Dr Egbert Franz Tannich, Hamburg

1991
Dr Michael Schlömann, Stuttgart

1990
Dr Harald Wolf, Konstanz

1989
Dr Erwin Grill, Munich

1988
Prof Dr Jörg Hinrich Hacker, Gerbrunn

1987
Dr Barbara Demmig, Würzburg

1986
PD Dr Michael Boppré, Regensburg

1985
Dr Friedrich Widdel, Konstanz

1984
Dr Michael Melkonian, Münster

1983
Dr Erko Stackebrandt, Munich

2019
Dr Tobias Beck, RWTH Aachen, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, receives the prize for his work on the self-assembly of hierarchically structured hybrid materials.

2017
Dr Bill Morandi, Institute for Coal Research, Mühlheim a. d. Ruhr, receives the prize for his contributions to reversible transfer catalysis.

2016
Prof Dr Shigeyoshi Inoue, TU Munich, receives the prize for his outstanding and original research on the chemistry of low-valent main group element compounds, particularly silicon.

2015
PD Dr Melanie Schnell, Hamburg, receives the prize in recognition of her groundbreaking development of new methods for investigating the rotational spectra of state-selected molecules under extremely cold conditions.

2014
Dr Tanja Gaich, Hanover, receives the prize for her outstanding achievements in the total synthesis of complex natural products.

2013
Dr Manuel Alcarazo Velasco, Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mühlheim an der Ruhr, receives the prize for his work on the synthesis of new ligand systems and their application in asymmetric homogeneous catalysis.

2012
Hans Jakob Wörner, ETH Zurich, receives the prize in recognition of his groundbreaking observation of the time-dependent quantum dynamics of electron motion in molecules on the sub-femtosecond timescale.

2011
Prof Dr Jörg S. Hartig, Constance, receives the prize for his groundbreaking and pioneering work in the chemical biology of nucleic acids, particularly RNA.

2010
Prof Dr Sven Schneider, Munich, receives the prize in recognition of his creative work on new catalyst systems that utilise the interplay of metal and ligand.

2009
Prof Dr Philip Tinnefeld, Munich, is honoured for his fundamental work on the further development of optical single-molecule spectroscopy and its applications to biomolecular interactions.

2008
Prof Dr Magnus Rueping, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main; for his significant and pioneering scientific work in the field of enantioselective biomimetic hydrogenation and the use of chiral Brønsted acids in the synthesis of hetero- and carbocycles as well as direct C-C bond formation via C-H functionalisation.

2007
Prof Dr Kay Severin, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne; for his significant scientific work in the field of organometallic synthesis and catalysis.

2006
PD Dr Jörg Tiller, Freiburg Materials Research Center, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg; for his work on the development of a new generation of contact-active antimicrobial surfaces and structure formation in amphiphilic conetworks.

2005
Prof Dr Georg Pohnert, Lausanne; for his research in the field of biomolecular chemistry, particularly the elucidation of the chemical defence strategies of marine algae.

2004
Prof Dr Ingo Krossing, Freiburg i. Br.; for his development work in the field of compounds with weakly coordinating anions.

2003
PD Dr Otto Dopfer, Heisenberg Fellow of the German Research Foundation (DFG), Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Würzburg; for his development work in the field of infrared photodissociation spectroscopy and the spectroscopic and quantum chemical characterisation of important molecular ions and ion complexes, especially intermediates in electrophilic aromatic substitution.

2002
Dr Lukas J. Gooßen, Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, Mülheim an der Ruhr; for his work “Palladium-Katalysierte Synthesen von Arylketonen aus Carbonsäuren und Boronsäuren” [Palladium-Catalysed Syntheses of Aryl Ketones from Carboxylic Acids and Boronic Acids] and “Palladium-Katalysierte Silylierungen von Aromaten und Untersuchungen zu abfallfreien Heck-Reaktionen” [Palladium-Catalysed Silylation of Aromatics and Investigations on Waste-Free Heck Reactions].

2001
PD Dr Christian Limberg, Inorganic Chemistry Institute of the University of Heidelberg; for his work “Oxo-Transfer-Reaktionen an Chrom-und Molybdän-Verbindungen” [Oxo-Transfer Reactions at Chromium and Molybdenum Compounds].

2000
PD Dr David Luckhaus, Laboratory for Physical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry II, Chemical Reaction Kinetics, ETH Zurich; for his work on spectroscopic and quantum theoretical investigations of intramolecular dynamics, particularly of nitrogen-hydrogen-oxygen compounds.

1999
Prof Dr Lutz H. Gade, Université Louis Pasteur, Institut Le Bel, Strasbourg; for his work on metal complexes with multifunctional amido ligands and their redox behaviour.

1998
Dr Thisbe Kerstin Lindhorst, Hamburg

1997
PD Dr Jürgen Rühe, MPI for Polymer Research, Mainz

1996
Prof Dr Matthias Drieß, Inorganic Chemistry Institute, Heidelberg

1995
Prof Dr Albrecht Berkessel, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, USA

1994
PD Dr Eckart Rühl, Free University of Berlin, Dept. of Chemistry, Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

1993
Prof Dr Carsten Bolm, Dept. of Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg

1992
Dr Wolfgang Schnick, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Bonn

1991
Dr Joachim Sauer, Central Institute for Physical Chemistry, East Berlin-Adlershof

1990
Dr Reinhard Brückner, Dept. of Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg

1989
Dr Reinhard Nesper, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart

1988
Dr Klaus Rademann, Department of Physical Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg

1987
Prof Dr Franz P. Schmidtchen, Institute of Organic Chemistry, TU Munich

1986
Prof Dr John P. Maier, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Basel

1985
Prof Dr Gerhard Erker, Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, Mülheim a. d. Ruhr

1984
PD Dr Dieter Cremer, Chair of Organic Chemistry, University of Cologne

1983
Prof Dr Hans Jürgen Neusser, Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, TU Munich

1982
Prof Dr Michael Veith, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, TU Braunschweig

1981
Prof Dr Günter Helmchen, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Würzburg

1980
Prof Dr Eberhard Neumann, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried

1979
Prof Dr Wolfgang Anton Herrmann, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Regensburg

1978
Prof Dr Manfred T. Reetz, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn

1977
Dr Gerhard Sauthoff, Max Planck Institute for Iron Research, Düsseldorf

1976
Dr Konrad Seppelt, Inorganic Chemistry Institute, University of Heidelberg

1975
PD Dr Henning Hopf, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Karlsruhe

1974
PD Dr Markus Schwoerer, III. Physical Institute, University of Stuttgart, Dept. of Physical Chemistry

1973
Prof Dr Harald Günther, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Cologne and in place of the Physics Prize Prof Dr Gerhard Herberich, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, TH Aachen

1972
Prof Dr Arndt Simon, Inorganic Chemistry Institute, University of Münster

1971
PD Dr Eckhart Schweizer, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Würzburg

1970
Lecturer Dr Dietrich Menzel, Scientific Council at the Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, TH Munich

1969
Lecturer Dr Hans Bock, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Munich

1968
PD Dr Gerhard Schröder, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Karlsruhe

1967
Lecturer Dr Wolfgang Beck, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Technical University of Munich

1965
Dr J. Heinrich Matthaei, Medical Research Institute, Max Planck Society, Göttingen

1964
PD Dr Ivar Ugi, Bayer Works, Leverkusen

1963
Prof Dr Rudolf Hoppe, Inorganic Chemistry, University of Münster

1962
Prof Dr H. L. Schläfer, Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Frankfurt a. M.

1961
Prof Dr Hans Musso, University of Marburg

1960
PD Dr Max Schmidt, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Munich

1959
Lecturer Dr Wolfgang Lüttke, Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Freiburg i. Br.

1958
Prof Dr Ferdinand Bohlmann, TU Braunschweig

1957
PD Dr Ernst Otto Fischer, TU Munich

2016
Dr Else Starkenburg, Astrophysical Institute Potsdam, for her outstanding work in the field of galactic archaeology, through which she has made significant contributions to understanding the formation of our Milky Way.

Dr Christoph Karrasch, Free University of Berlin, for his innovative contributions to solving quantum many-body problems, especially for his groundbreaking extension of the density matrix renormalization group, which made this method applicable at finite temperatures.

2014
PD Dr Andy Thomas, Bielefeld, receives the prize for his work using the memristive properties of tunnel junctions to create artificial neural structures.

2011
Dr Eva Maria Weig, Munich, receives the prize in recognition of her work on the mechanics of nanosystems at the interface of quantum and classical mechanics.

2010
Dr Corinna Kollath, Palaiseau Cedex, receives the prize in recognition of her work on the dynamics of quantum many-body systems far from equilibrium.

2009
Dr Marek Kowalski, Berlin, is honoured for his work in the field of neutrino emission and detection from supernovae.

2008
PD Dr André Schirmeisen, Institute of Physics & Center for Nanotechnology (CeNTech), University of Münster; for his significant scientific work in the field of surface physics and nanotribology.

2007
Dr Thomas Pfohl, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organisation, Göttingen; for his significant scientific work on the observation and manipulation of macromolecules in shear flow on the micrometre scale.

2006
Dr Mathias Kläui, University of Konstanz, Department of Physics; for his investigations on “Magnettransporte – Schaltvorgänge auf der Basis von Domänenwandpropagation” [Magnetotransports – Switching Processes Based on Domain Wall Propagation].

2005
Dr Hanno Sahlmann, Spinoza Institute, Utrecht, Netherlands, for his important contributions to “loop quantum gravity,” a promising approach to the quantization of Einstein’s “general theory of relativity.”

2004
Pepijn W. H. Pinkse, Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, Garching; for his work in the field of cold molecular gases and cavity quantum electrodynamics of single atoms in optical resonators.

2003
PD Dr Norbert Pietralla, Institute of Nuclear Physics, University of Cologne; for his investigations of mixed-symmetry states using the nuclear resonance fluorescence method.

2002
Dr Achim Rosch, Institute for Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics, University of Karlsruhe; for his works “Conductivity of a Clean One-dimensional Wire” and “Interplay of Disorder and Spin Fluctuations in the Resistivity Near a Quantum Critical Point.”

2001
Dr Ulli Köster, CERN, Geneva; for his work on the “Entwicklung von Resonanz-Laser-Ionenquellen zur Herstellung radioaktiver Ionenstrahlen” [Development of Resonance Laser Ion Sources for the Production of Radioactive Ion Beams].

1999
Dr Volker Schomerus, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Hamburg; for his work on the extension of the concept of symmetry in quantum physics.

1998
PD Dr Reinhold Egger, Freiburg i. Br.

1997
Dr Philipp Ebert, Institute for Solid State Research, Research Centre Jülich

1996
PD Dr Holger Frahm, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Hanover

1995
Dr Hans-Werner Wiesbrock, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Free University of Berlin

1994
Prof Dr Bruno Eckhardt, Oldenburg

1993
PD Dr Rolf Möller, Konstanz

1992
Dr habil. Eberhard Burkel, Munich

1991
Dr Walter Metzner, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rome

1990
Dr Hellmut Höche, Academy of Sciences, Institute for Solid State Physics and Electron Microscopy, Halle

1988
Dr Christian Radehaus, Institute of Applied Physics, University of Münster

1987
Dr Klaus Fredenhagen, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Hamburg

1986
Dr Peter Schneider, Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA

1985
PD Dr Manfred Fähnle, Max Planck Institute for Metal Research, Stuttgart

1984
Dr Stefan Thomae, Institute for Solid State Research, Jülich Nuclear Research Centre

1983
Dr Rudolf Marx, Department of Physics, Low Temperature Laboratory, University of Duisburg

1982
Dr Heinz von Seggern, Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey, USA

1981
Dr Uwe Trinks, Physics Department E 12, TU Munich

1980
PD Dr Andreas Eichler, Institute of Technical Physics, TU Braunschweig

1979
Dr Detlev Buchholz, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Hamburg

1978
Dr Gerd Bergmann, Institute for Solid State Research, Jülich Nuclear Research Centre

1977
Dr Wolfgang Hillebrandt, Institute of Nuclear Physics, TU Darmstadt

1976
Dr Helmut Föll, Max Planck Institute for Metal Research, Stuttgart (jointly with Dr Bernd Kolbesen, Department of Basic Semiconductor Development, Siemens AG, Munich)

1975
Dr Peter Wölfle, Physics Department, TU Munich

1974
Dr Peter H. Dederichs, Institute for Solid State Research, Jülich Nuclear Research Centre

1972
Dr Helmut Kinder, Institute for Solid State Research, Jülich Nuclear Research Centre

1971
PD Dr Klaus Pohlmeyer, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Hamburg

1970
Prof Dr Klaus Hasselmann, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Woods Hole, MA, USA

1968
PD Dr Johannes Zittartz jointly with Dr Erwin Müller-Hartmann, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne

1967
Dr Uwe Eßmann jointly with Dr Hermann Träuble, Max Planck Institute for Metal Research, Stuttgart

1966
Dr Jörg Wittig, Physics Institute, TH Karlsruhe

1965
Dr Herbert Weiss, Siemens-Schuckert-Werke, Erlangen

1964
Dr H. G. Bennewitz and J. P. Toennies, Physics Institute, University of Bonn

1962
PD Dr S. Wilking, Physics Institute, TH Karlsruhe

1961
Lecturer Dipl Phys Dr M. Näbauer jointly with Dipl. Phys. Dr R. Doll, Commission for Low Temperature Research of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, Herrsching/Ammersee

1959
PD Dr Gerhart Lüders, Max Planck Institute for Physics and Astrophysics, Munich

1958
Prof Dr K. H. Böhm, Institute for Theoretical Physics and Observatory, University of Kiel

1957
PD Dr Herwig Schopper, Physics Institute, University of Erlangen