Newly emerging pathogens are major challenges for infection research as they require the swift development of diagnostics, vaccines and antiviral drugs. Emerging viruses are viruses that are new to a population and can occur and spread very rapidly. One such example is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19.
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Virologist Stephanie Pfänder receives Jürgen Wehland Award
The winner of this year's Jürgen Wehland Award, Stephanie Pfänder, researches the interaction between newly emerging viruses and their host. She completed her dissertation at TWINCORE - Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research in Hannover working with Prof Thomas Pietschmann. During this time, she conducted basic and translational research on hepatitis C viruses (HCV) and HCV-related viruses, and published her work in internationally renowned journals. She then joined Prof Volker Thiel's team at the Institute of Virology and Immunology at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and turned her attention to coronaviruses. In February 2020, she was appointed junior professor at Ruhr-Universität Bochum. Here she conducts research in Prof Eike Steinmann's Department of Molecular and Medical Virology. In addition to her professional excellence, she manages to combine work and family and thus serves as a role model for modern female scientists.
"I am really delighted about this award and would like to thank the HZI and the Friends of the HZI very much. A special thank you goes to all my colleagues, collaborators and especially to my team, who all do fantastic work," says Stephanie Pfänder in her comments about the award.
About the Jürgen Wehland-Preis
The Jürgen Wehland Award is given in honour of the former Scientific Director of the HZI, who passed away unexpectedly in 2010 after just one year in office. 2023 marks the ninth time the award has been granted by the HZI and the Friends of the HZI.
