Christian Haass awarded Hector Wissenschaftspreis 2022
For his outstanding research on the molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease Christian Haass received one of the Wissenschaftspreise 2022 of the Hector Stiftung.
On January 27, the Hector Wissenschaftspreise 2022 were awarded in Weinheim. The prizes, each endowed with 150,000 euros, were awarded to Prof. Dr. Anna Wienhard (Leipzig Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences) and Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Christian Haass (Chair of Metabolic Biochemistry at the BMC and speaker of the DZNE site Munich).
About the laureate
Christian Haass began working on the protein amyloid beta peptide in the early 1990s. This molecule aggregates in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s and forms deposits (called “plaques”) in the tissue between the neurons. These plaques lead to inflammatory processes and ultimately contribute to the death of neurons, causing the typical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease: memory, orientation and speech disorders, impaired thinking and judgment, and changes in personality. Contrary to the common view at the time, Christian Haass was able to prove that amyloid is not necessarily a component of pathological processes, but also occurs in the healthy brain.
Today, it is therefore assumed that in Alzheimer's disease the production of this protein is increased or its degradation is disturbed. With his research, Christian Haass paved the way for new approaches in therapy and early detection. In recent years, Christian Haass has been researching the role of the brain's immune cells in Alzheimer's disease. He discovered that, especially in the early stages of the disease, the concentration of the so-called TREM2 protein in the cerebrospinal fluid increases. Accordingly, TREM2 could serve as a biomarker (typical measurable change) and help to detect Alzheimer's at an early stage and even before the onset of symptoms.
Christian Haass has already received several awards for his research - including the Leibniz Prize of the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Brain Prize - the world's most prestigious award for brain research - and the Piepenbrock DZNE Prize. Christian Haass is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Zurich.
About the Hector Wissenschaftspreis
Since 2009, the Hector Stiftung has awarded the annual Hector Wissenschaftspreis in the amount of €150,000. This award recognizes professors at German universities and research institutions for their outstanding research achievements and special commitment to teaching and promoting young scientists. With the award, they are admitted to the circle of "Hector Fellows".