Marco Prinz awarded Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize

Prof. Dr. Marco Prinz, medical director of the Institute of Neuropathology at the Freiburg University Medical Center, is being awarded the 2020 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize. This is in recognition of his research work into the immune system of the brain, known as microglia cells. These cells have been linked with the occurrence of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and depression, and may in future also play a key part in the treatment of brain tumors. Endowed with up to 2.5 million euros, this award is the most important research funding award in Germany.

Marco Prinz is being awarded the most important research funding award in Germany. Photo: Freiburg University Medical Center/Britt Schilling

“As Rector of the University of Freiburg I am extremely delighted that Marco Prinz’s outstanding research has been deservedly recognized with the award of the Leibniz prize. Marco Prinz is an outstanding scientist, and we are proud that he plays a decisive part in the profile of our medical and life science research. The prize also highlights the excellence of Freiburg as a place for medical research,” says Prof. Dr. Hans-Jochen Schiewer, Rector of the University of Freiburg.

Marco Prinz is a member of the CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies Cluster of Excellence at the University of Freiburg. This provides the framework for him to study the development of immune cells known as macrophages in the central nervous system.

More information

• Freiburg University Medical Center website with press release, video interview, CV and additional material
• Press Release of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• Article in the online magazine 2017
• Article in uni’wissen research magazine 02/2015