Bayer Early Excellence in Science Award 2009

Leverkusen, October 2009. The first winners of the Bayer Early Excellence in Science Award have now been announced: The first three prizes, all worth EUR 10,000, have been awarded by an independent scientific committee of the Bayer Science & Education Foundation. With the Bayer Early Excellence in Science Award, established in 2009, the Bayer foundation adds to its program a prize designed to support talented young research scientists at an early stage of their academic career.

EUR 30,000 for young research scientists
“Advances in fundamental and industrial research are the basis for innovation and growth. We want to promote research, and particularly young researchers, and at the same time strengthen excellence,” said Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG responsible for Innovation, Technology and Environment, and member of the Board of Directors of the foundation. “Research, sustainability and education play a central role for the inventor company Bayer. I am delighted that with these new awards we have a further chance to support and motivate young scientists,” added Plischke.

This new international award will be presented annually in the three categories biology, chemistry and materials. To be eligible for the Bayer Early Excellence in Science Award, candidates must have completed their doctorate within the last five years. The award is presented on the basis of the originality and quality of candidates’ research and the significance of this work in the respective award category.

Dr. Jürgen Groll from the DWI at the RWTH Aachen University e.V. receives the Bayer Early Excellence in Science Award 2009 in the “Materials” category. He has developed new types of hydrogels based on biocompatible polymers. These should facilitate a targeted drug transport and controlled release in the target tissue and could reduce the dosage and side effects of administered drugs. In addition he is working successfully on biomimetic coatings and three dimensional scaffolds with the objective of achieving better integration of implants and eventually full regeneration of body tissue.

Dr. Tobias Ritter from the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University in the United States is presented with the Bayer Early Excellence in Science Award 2009 in the “ Chemistry” category for his detailed mechanistic investigations into fluorination reactions. His new method of integrating fluorine highly selectively in aromatic substance systems by mild and simple means is a significant advance in active ingredient research. The element fluorine is extremely important for many active ingredients used in medicine and crop protection.

Dr. Noriyuki Nishimura from the University of California, San Diego in the United States is honored with the Bayer Early Excellence in Science Award 2009 in the “Biology” category for his co-identification and characterization of specific stress hormone receptors in plants. These receptors ensure that plants are better able to survive stress conditions such as drought. This could enable the discovery of new approaches for safeguarding nutrition for a growing world population.

More information concerning the Bayer Science & Education Foundation you find here.