Award of the Ferdinand Cohn Medal to Axel Brakhage
Award honors the microbiologist for outstanding achievements in the research of human pathogenic fungi
| by Friederike Gawlik
This year, the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM) has awarded the Ferdinand Cohn Medal to Prof. Dr. Axel Brakhage, Director of the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI). The award recognizes his outstanding scientific achievements in the field of microbiology, in particular on the infection biology of fungi and his merits in developing Jena into one of the world's leading centers for the infection biology of fungi. The award ceremony took place during the DGHM annual conference on June 2, 2024 in Würzburg.
Axel Brakhage focuses his research on the infection biology of human pathogenic fungi, in particular on the globally widespread mold Aspergillus fumigatus, which can cause fatal lung infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. He made groundbreaking discoveries that contributed significantly to the development of this field of research and formed the basis for improving the diagnosis and treatment of the life-threatening diseases caused by the fungus. His work on this core topic also led him to related scientific fields in which he made equally important, internationally recognized contributions. For example, he is dedicated to microbial communication and functional microbiome research. He wants to use the knowledge he has gained to better understand the fundamental mechanisms of the dynamics of complex biotic communities, as they have a huge impact on the entire living environment, including human life. Finally, building on this, he also professionalized the search for antimicrobial agents from microorganisms in the academic field. New drugs resulting from this are urgently needed in view of new infectious diseases and increasing antibiotic resistance. Brakhage is also working at a political level to ensure that the development of new active ingredients, which could also arm us against the next pandemic, becomes part of public healthcare and is not left to the free play of the market alone.
The Ferdinand Cohn Medal has been awarded by the DGHM since 1998 to scientists who have made outstanding contributions to microbiology and hygiene. The list of previous recipients includes renowned researchers who have made significant progress in these fields through their work. The medal was established in honor of Ferdinand Cohn, the founder of systematic bacteriology and discoverer of bacterial endospores.
For further information, please visit the DGHM website: DGHM Foundation - Ferdinand Cohn Medal (DGHM).
The Institute warmly congratulates Prof. Dr. Axel Brakhage on the award.
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Axel A. Brakhage
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