Laureates Prof. Elena Conti, PhD and Prof. Dr Jörn Piel
Prof. Elena Conti, PhD
Prof. Elena Conti, PhD (58), Director at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried near Munich, researches how cells recognise and degrade defective messenger RNAs (mRNAs). She is particularly interested in disease-relevant mutations in these mechanisms, which she is decoding using the latest methods. Disorders in this process can lead to neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), certain types of cancer and genetic metabolic disorders. Her work in this field has made a decisive contribution to understanding the interplay of molecular machines. For this research, she is receiving this year's Jung Prize for Science and Research, which she shares with Prof. Dr Jörn Piel. She intends to use her share of the prize money to pursue a new, promising hypothesis on a specific mutation in the exosome complex that plays a key role in RNA degradation.
For Conti, science is a passion that she discovered over the years – inspired by excellent teachers and mentors. ‘For me, research is like a big jigsaw puzzle. You collect individual observations, put them together and suddenly a picture emerges,’ she says, describing her fascination. Away from science, she finds balance in nature or playing tennis, ‘even if my daughter always wins,’ she says with a laugh.
Prof. Dr Jörn Piel
Prof. Dr Jörn Piel (58), microbiologist and head of the Bacterial Natural Products research group at the Institute of Microbiology at ETH Zurich, is researching the enormous diversity of bacteria that have not yet been cultivated in the laboratory – and therefore represent an untapped source of potential active substances. Many of these microorganisms produce bioactive substances that could be promising for new cancer drugs, antibiotics and antiviral therapies. However, these substances are often only available in minute quantities in nature. Piel's research aims to replicate their genes in laboratory models to enable sustainable production.
Piel discovered his fascination for chemistry at an early age – triggered by an adventurous family story about failed rocket experiments in the living room. ‘I'm motivated by the spirit of discovery,’ he says. ‘It's like discovering completely new forms of life – with the potential to revolutionise medicine.’ With his share of the prize money from the Jung Prize for Medicine, which he is receiving this year from the Jung Foundation together with Prof. Elena Conti, PhD, he wants to advance the development of innovative biotechnological methods to harness these hidden natural substances. In his private life, he is enthusiastic about the cuisine of foreign cultures – a passion that he combines with his research with a wink: ‘Here, too, the result is not always predictable – but often a real discovery.’