Most successful writer
The award presented by the University of Freiburg Cluster of Excellence BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies for the most successful writer in 2017 goes again to Prof. Dr. Marco Prinz, Medical Director of the Institute of Neuropathology at the University Medical Center Freiburg and associated member of BIOSS. In 2017, Prinz published 26 papers, most of the in high-ranking scientific journals such as Nature, New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Immunology and Immunity. It is the 5th year in succession that Prinz receives the award.
Prinz’s prime area of research is the role of the immune system in neurodegenerative diseases and diseases like multiple sclerosis. For example, in an article published in the journal Nature Neuroscience in June 2015, Prinz and his team demonstrated that the metabolites of gut bacteria control the function of microglia, which are phagocytes that eliminate invading pathogens in the brain and also fight tumour cells. Malfunctioning microglia cells play a role in brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. Prinz’s research results thus demonstrate that an intact immune system of the brain depends on having healthy intestinal flora.
Every year, BIOSS honours a member of the cluster who has generated the most bonus funds according its program Performance Oriented Grants Option, or BIOSS POGO. All members of the cluster who publish the results of their BIOSS-supported research in scientific journals are entitled to apply for bonus funds. The amount of POGO is based on the impact factor of each journal and researchers’ level of participation, meaning whether they were the first or last author or a co-author. BIOSS introduced this system for bonus funds in 2010. The winner of the "Writer” award in 2010 was Prof. Dr. Michael Reth, followed by Prof. Dr. Oliver Einsle in 2011 and Prof. Dr. Wilfried Weber in 2012. According to the amount of POGO, Marco Prinz was the most successful writer at BIOSS from 2013 to 2017. Winners receive a wooden “Writer” (Schreiber) sculpture, which was designed by Prof. Dr. Hans G. Kleinig.
For more on Marco Prinz, his research group and research focus, see:
https://www.uniklinik-freiburg.de/neuropathologie/forschung/innate-immunity-prof-dr-marco-prinz.html
Article about Marco Prinz and his work, published in the Freiburg research magazine uni’wissen:
www.pr2.uni-freiburg.de/publikationen/uniwissen/uniwissen-2015-2/page1.html