Braunschweig, November 29, 2011

On Tuesday evening, November 29, Prof. Dr. Petra Schwille was presented with the Braunschweig Research Prize 2011. The prize, worth €30,000, was awarded in recognition of Prof. Dr. Schwille’s ground-breaking work. Her development of a new microscopic technique has enabled her and scientists around the world to find answers to fundamental biomedical questions. This technology is the key to understanding living systems.

Until recently, biomolecules such as proteins and lipids could not be microscopically observed in live cells without destroying them. It was only after the exceptional scientist Prof. Dr. Schwille combined various microscopic methods, developing her “two-photon cross-correlation spectroscopy”, that fundamental cellular processes could be explored. Her microscopic technology has become an essential tool for scientists the world over.

The Chairman of the Selection Panel, Braunschweig Lord Mayor Dr. Gert Hoffmann, explained that Prof. Dr. Schwille was the first choice for the Braunschweig Research Prize 2011 because of her of successful and passionate approach to science. She willingly shares her expertise, cooperating closely with colleagues from various scientific disciplines around the world. “The dialogue between science, economics and society, the transfer of results to other branches of science and application-orientated research are crucial criteria for award of the Braunschweig Research Prize. Petra Schwille epitomizes this interdisciplinary dialogue – in her case, between biology and physics. And she has demonstrated that combining different methods and ideas can yield extraordinary results.” After all, interdisciplinary dialogue is the approach of choice in the Braunschweig Research Region, which holds a leading position in Europe-wide ratings for research. “Scientists in our region cooperate closely across disciplines and participate in a lively exchange with economics and society at large.”

“Thanks to her technology, Petra Schwille was the first to provide a detailed glimpse of the interactions and dynamics of biomolecules within an organism; for example how enzymes divide the genome or repair DNA breaks. We expect further spectacular results that will contribute to curing diseases such as Alzheimer’s or cancer,” Dr. Rudolf Rigler of Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm said in his laudation.

“This year’s recipient of the Braunschweig Research Prize and her team are continuously redefining what can be measured, by further developing and honing their method. They contribute to and facilitate our knowledge of cellular functions and their basic molecular structure,” said Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Hesselbach, Chairman of the Verein ForschungRegion Braunschweig. In her most recent work, Prof. Dr. Schwille has used two-photon cross-correlation spectroscopy in developmental biology and systems biology. “Health research is one of the top priorities in our region. And with BRICS (Braunschweig Integrated Centre for Systems Biology), Braunschweig will soon feature a major systems biology centre. Working groups at the Technische Universität are also using Prof. Dr. Schwille’s technology today.”

David McAllister, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, emphasised the important role that research plays in the Braunschweig region. After all, the region is number one in Europe when it comes to research. “In order to maintain the high standard of research in Lower Saxony, the country will invest more than €4billion in its universities over the next two years. This is a record number,” the Prime Minister announced during the award ceremony. Mr. McAllister congratulated the Laureate for her outstanding research achievements. “With the Braunschweig Research Prize 2011, you are receiving a significant tribute to your work,” he remarked.

The award ceremony was held in the Haus der Wissenschaft Braunschweig. Prof. Dr. Jürgen Mlynek, President of the Helmholtz Association, gave the introductory speech, while Prof. Dr. Rudolf Rigler, Petra Schwille’s mentor and long-standing colleague, bestowed the laudation.

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