In 2025, the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation is awarding nine Else Kröner Excellence Fellowships to outstanding physicians. The two-year leave of absence from clinical duties will allow each of them to make decisive headway on a promising research project. The fellowships are endowed with up to 350.000 euros.
The following physicians are to be awarded a fellowship:
PD Dr. Lisa Adams, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM).
Project: AI driven mapping of organ-specific biomarkers of aging for personalized risk stratification
Lisa Adams and her team are investigating how rapidly individual organs age. They use MRI and CT scans to determine the biological age of the liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, and muscles. With the help of reference values from population-based studies, they identify deviations that may indicate an increased risk of disease or reduced resilience. Based on the clinical data, the researchers will explore whether these organ-specific aging markers can predict complications, treatment outcomes, and the duration of hospital stays more accurately than chronological age. The models developed will be made available as open-source software.
Dr. Karolina Gente, MHBA, Department of Internal Medicine V – Hematology, Oncology, and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital
Project: MalheuR: interdisciplinary study of the coincidence of malignant and rheumatic diseases at the clinical and translational levels
In the MalheuR project, Karolina Gente and her team are investigating how cancer patients with rheumatic diseases can be given the best possible treatment. Since 2018, more than 1,200 patients in Heidelberg have been registered to enable a systematic analysis of the interactions between cancer and rheumatic diseases. The interdisciplinary research team is using clinical data and blood samples to identify biomarkers that may allow more precise treatment decisions. The goal is to build a solid foundation for personalized treatments with the aim of improving both the medical care and patients’ quality of life.
PD Dr. Henning Grüll, Institute of Virology, University Hospital Cologne
Project: Using AAV vectors to deliver broadly neutralizing antibodies for HIV-1 treatment and prevention
Highly effective antibodies are considered a promising approach for the treatment and prevention of HIV infections. However, similar to antiretroviral drugs for treating HIV, they must be administered regularly due to their limited half-life. Strategies are being developed within this project to enable the body to produce broadly neutralizing antibodies for itself. The focus is on optimizing gene vectors based on adeno-associated viruses (AAV). This should enable the long-term production of multiple effective antibodies after just one single administration. The aim is to create an antibody-based therapy for combating infectious diseases with a lasting effect.
Dr. Moritz Peiseler, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité – University Hospital Berlin
Project: Targeted modulation of macrophage diversity as an innovative therapy for MASLD and HCC
Around one third (30%) of the population is affected by fatty liver disease (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, MASLD), making it the most common chronic liver condition. It involves the accumulation of excess fat in liver cells. This condition is a known risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a malignant liver tumor and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Inflammation and fibrosis (scarring) significantly influence the disease’s progression. Liver macrophages – immune cells that regulate inflammatory responses – play a crucial role, as they can affect scar formation and tumor development. It is still not understood fully exactly how metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and cancer development are linked in MASLD and HCC. Dr. Moritz Peiseler is using state-of-the-art techniques such as intravital microscopy, mouse models, and multi-omics analyses to identify novel therapeutic strategies and investigate the role these immune cells play.
PD Dr. Florian Scherer, Department of Internal Medicine I – Hematology, Oncology & Stem Cell Transplantation, University Hospital Freiburg
Project: CNS lymphomas – translating non-invasive biomarkers into clinical practice and deciphering unique tissue tropism and pathogenesis
CNS lymphomas are aggressive brain tumors that are often difficult to diagnose and treat. To this day, little is understood of the biological mechanisms by which lymphoma cells infiltrate and spread within the brain. PD Dr. Florian Scherer and his team are developing highly sensitive liquid biopsy tests that are able to detect even the minutest trace of tumor DNA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. This approach may enable faster and more reliable diagnoses in challenging clinical situations. The researchers are also using novel molecular technologies to better understand the development and spread of these lymphomas in the brain – paving the way for more precise and personalized treatment in the future.
Prof. Dr. Dr. David Simon, MHBA, Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology, Charité – University Hospital Berlin
Project: From depletion to reconstitution: immune reset and predictive signatures for sustained drug-free remission in rheumatoid arthritis – the LEARNER project
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints. Many patients require lifelong medication, as current therapies can control inflammation, but fail to fully eliminate the harmful B cells – preventing a true “reset” of the immune system. Prof. Dr. Dr. David Simon and his team are systematically investigating how different modern therapies targeting B cells and plasma cells compare in their effectiveness and which approaches could influence the immune system enough to enable long-term, drug-free remission. Through comprehensive analyses of blood, tissue, and immune cells, the team also aims to identify biological patterns that can predict which treatment is best suited to each individual patient.
Dr. Wulf Tonnus, MD, Faculty of Medicine, Department III, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technical University of Dresden
Project: Ferroptosis regulation by ether lipids as a determinant of sex-specific susceptibility to acute kidney injury
Chronic kidney disease is on the rise worldwide. It is often triggered by repeated bouts of acute kidney injury (AKI). Ferroptosis – a form of cell death caused by iron-dependent damage to fatty acids in the cell membrane – plays a key role here. Women appear to have better natural protection against AKI, possibly due to estrogen-driven changes in membrane lipid metabolism and specifically through a reduction in certain special ether lipids. The exact mechanisms behind this protection remain unclear however. Wulf Tonnus is investigating how hormone-driven changes in lipid metabolism influence the kidney’s vulnerability to ferroptosis. In the long term, the goal is to develop new sex-specific treatments for both acute and chronic kidney diseases.
Dr. Matias Wagner, Institute of Human Genetics, TUM School of Medicine & Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM).
Project: ASO4Kids: Establishing a pipeline for the development of allele-selective antisense oligonucleotide therapies for rare neurological disorders
The ASO4Kids project aims to develop new treatments for children with rare genetic brain disorders that lead to severe epilepsy and developmental delays. Dr. Matias Wagner is building an efficient development platform for antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) – short strands of synthetic DNA or RNA to switch off specific disease-relevant genetic signals. By targeting common genetic markers, a small number of customized treatments are to be designed that can benefit as many affected patients as possible. In the long term, this platform seeks to accelerate the development of personalized treatments and significantly improve their availability.
Dr. Oana Patricia Zaharia, Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, German Diabetes Center
Project: The role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in sex-specific cardiovascular risk across diabetes subtypes
Oana Patricia Zaharia is investigating why the risk of cardiovascular diseases varies between women and men – and whether these differences depend on the type of diabetes. While diabetes is today considered a heterogeneous disease, scientists still don’t fully understand the role sex hormones play in cardiovascular health. To explore this further, the researchers are analyzing two large patient cohorts: People who have had a heart attack and people newly diagnosed with diabetes. The researchers hope to spot early warning signs and to develop precise, sex-specific strategies for prevention and treatment by measuring hormone levels and cardiovascular biomarkers and using advanced data analysis.