Volker Haucke receives 2025 Leibniz Prize from the DFG

Award for groundbreaking research on lipid signaling and synaptic transmission.
The scientist and director at the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) is one of ten recipients of Germany’s most prestigious research award.
Professor Volker Haucke, Director of the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) in Berlin and Professor of Molecular Pharmacology at Freie Universität Berlin, is among the ten awardees of the 2025 Leibniz Prize from the German Research Foundation (DFG). This award, one of the most significant accolades in German science, recognizes Haucke’s contributions to understanding lipid signaling and synaptic transmission in the nervous system. As announced today by the DFG in Bonn, Volker Haucke was selected by the prize’s selection committee from 142 nominations. Each prize, endowed with €2.5 million, will be presented to the recipients on March 19, 2025, in Berlin. The funding is intended to support further research endeavors.

The 2025 Leibniz Prize honors Volker Haucke’s scientific achievements and supports the continuation of his research projects, which promise new insights into fundamental biological processes and potential therapeutic applications.

Research Focus: Endocytosis and Synaptic Transmission
Volker Haucke’s scientific work explores the molecular processes that enable neuronal function. Central to his research is endocytosis - a cellular mechanism where membrane segments are selectively internalized to absorb substances from the environment. This process plays a crucial role in synaptic transmission, helping to regulate the composition of the cell membrane and prevent neurodegeneration.

Haucke has made significant discoveries in understanding the interplay between neuronal protein complexes, lipid signaling, and mechanisms for degrading cellular components. These findings have led, among other achievements, to the development of inhibitors for key enzymes in lipid metabolism, which hold promise for therapeutic applications, such as in cancer research.

Scientific Career and Awards
Volker Haucke studied biochemistry at Freie Universität Berlin and earned his doctorate at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University, USA, he led a junior research group at the University of Göttingen before returning to Freie Universität Berlin as a Professor of Biochemistry. Since 2012, he has served as Director of the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) in Berlin.

Throughout his career, Haucke has received numerous awards and grants, including an ERC Advanced Grant and the 2020 Feldberg Prize. He is a member of prestigious scientific organizations such as the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Academia Europaea, and the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).

Source: Press Release FMP

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Volker Haucke
Head Haucke Group,
Member NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence
Professor for Molecular Pharmacology Freie Universität Berlin
Haucke LAB