This year, the prestigious prize goes to the Finnish medical doctor and cell biologist Sara Wickström who discovered a mechanism by which cells sense the physical world around them.
Sara Wickströms research showed how cells can “feel” forces such as pressure and stretching and relay these signals all the way to their DNA. In doing so, physical forces can switch genes on or off, helping determine how cells behave and how tissues develop, age, or heal after injury. The discovery opened a new field of research and could eventually lead to new ways of treating cancer, organ fibrosis and other age-related diseases.
The Körber European Science Prize is endowed with one million euros. The prize is awarded for excellent and innovative research approaches with high application potential. To date, eight Körber Prize laureates have subsequently received the Nobel Prize.
Find out more about the current winner and the Körber European Science Prize on Körber-Stiftung’s website.
