“The first years of life are crucial for the development of type 1 diabetes. Unraveling the interplay of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors in the development of islet autoimmunity is essential for developing prevention strategies. I am very grateful to receive the Dr. Heinz Bürger-Büsing Prize in recognition of my work,” explains Sandra Hummel.
Through her research, Sandra Hummel makes key contributions to understanding the role of prenatal exposures and early-life nutrition in long-term health. Furthermore, her research helps understanding how epigenetic mechanisms influence disease development in response to early environmental exposures, such as prenatal exposure to maternal type 1 diabetes. With her work, she aims to enable new approaches for the prevention of type 1 diabetes.
The Dr. Heinz Bürger-Büsing Prize is awarded annually by the Dr. Heinz Bürger-Büsing Foundation and is endowed with 8,000 euros. It honors groundbreaking work in clinical and experimental diabetes research, with a focus on diabetes in childhood, diabetes during pregnancy, and the prevention of diabetes-related complications. The award was presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Working Group for Diabetology and Endocrinology Rhineland-Palatinate (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Diabetologie und Endokrinologie Rheinland-Pfalz e.V.).
