Professor Axel Ullrich honored with Israeli Wolf Prize

February 02, 2010

Professor Axel Ullrich is the winner of the Wolf Prize in Medicine 2010, which is endowed with 100 000 dollar. Ullrich, director of the Department Molecular Biology at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, receives the prize for his ground-breaking work in cancer research. He laid the scientific basis for the development of several innovative cancer drugs. On Mai 13, Prof. Ullrich will receive the award from President Shimon Peres in the Israeli parliament.

Professor Axel Ullrich is the winner of the Wolf Prize in Medicine 2010, which is endowed with 100 000 dollar. Ullrich, director of the Department Molecular Biology at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried near Munich, receives the prize for his ground-breaking work in cancer research. He laid the scientific basis for the development of several innovative cancer drugs.

Herceptin is highly efficacious against metastatic breast cancer that is associated with a specific genetic abnormality in 25% of all the tumors. Another innovative cancer drug, developed on the basis of his research results, is Sunitinib which effectively fights kidney cancer and a rare form of gastrointestinal cancer (GIST). “Prof Ullrich belongs to a small number of basic scientists, whose work has impacted not only basic research, but also aided millions of patients suffering from diverse chronic diseases,” states the International Jury of the Wolf Foundation.

The Wolf Prize was established in 1978 to honor scientists in six different disciplines. After the Nobel Prize, the Wolf Prize belongs to the most prestigious awards in natural sciences worldwide. On Mai 13, Prof. Ullrich will receive the award from President Shimon Peres in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.

Contact:

Anja Konschak

Public Relations

Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry

Am Klopferspitz 18

82152 Martinsried

Phone ++49/89-8578-2824

E-mail: konschak@biochem.mpg.de

www.biochem.mpg.de

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