Peter Hegemann receives the Warren Alpert Prize

The 2019 Warren Alpert Foundation Prize goes this year to the NeuroCure scientist Peter Hegemann as well as to the three scientists: Edward Boyden, Karl Deisseroth und Gero Miesenböck. The winners receive the award for their pioneering work in the field of optogenetics, a revolutionary technique that uses light and genetic modification to control the activity of cells in the brain.

“The discoveries made by this year’s four honorees have fundamentally changed the landscape of neuroscience,” said George Q. Daley, dean of Harvard Medical School. “Their work has enabled scientists to see, understand and manipulate neurons, providing the foundation for understanding the ultimate enigma—the human brain.”

The Biophysics Peter Hegemann himself works  for the study of light-sensitive molecular channels in single-cell organisms—the key proteins that make optogenetic manipulation possible—and discovering along with Karl Deisseroth the key principles of light-sensitive channel structure and function.

The Warren Alpert Foundation, in association with Harvard Medical School, honors scientists whose work has improved the understanding, prevention, treatment or cure of human disease.

The honorees will share a $500,000 prize and will be recognized at a daylong symposium on Oct. 03, 2019 at Harvard Medical School.

Source: Press release of the Warren Alpert Foundation

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Peter Hegemann
Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
Institute of Biology, Experimental Biophysics
Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure
E-Mail: Hegemann(at)rz.hu-berlin.de