Medical doctor Andrea Ablasser has been awarded the acclaimed Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize. She contributed in a decisive manner toward co-discovery of the cGAS-STING signaling pathway, a kind of alarm within the innate immune system. This signaling pathway responds to DNA in the cytoplasm, which occurs in the case of infections, cancer or cellular stress and triggers defensive mechanisms. The discovery is deemed to be a fundamental advance in the field of immunology and opens up new possibilities for treating infections, cancer and inflammatory disorders. The prize is endowed with 120,000 euros.
Within the scope of the funding line “First and Second Applications”, EKFS had readily supported Andrea Ablasser with her research projects as early as 2014. That same year she was honored with the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Early Career Award. Andrea Ablasser is Professor for Life Sciences at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland.