Magdalena Götz Awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit
Prof. Magdalena Götz, Director of the Stem Cell Center and the Institute for Stem Cell Research at Helmholtz Munich, LMU Professor and Principal Investigator and Board Member of the SyNergy Cluster of Excellence, has been awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit by Minister President Dr. Markus Söder. This special honor recognizes her outstanding contributions to brain research and her leading role in neural stem cell research.
The internationally renowned neurobiologist Prof. Magdalena Götz has made pioneering discoveries on the regeneration of brain cells and the reprogramming of glial cells into functional nerve cells. Glial cells, previously thought to be purely supportive cells, play an unexpected role as neural stem cells during brain development - a discovery made by Ms. Götz. They lose this ability in the adult brain. In the next groundbreaking step, however, Götz and her team succeeded in converting these cells into neurons after a brain injury. This works when regulatory proteins from the developing brain are introduced into the glial cells. Her research results open promising prospects for new therapeutic approaches and the treatment of brain injuries or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which are characterized by the progressive loss of nerve cells.
In addition to her scientific work, Prof. Götz is actively involved in the promotion of young scientists and is strongly committed to the transfer of knowledge into practice.
“This award is a great honor and recognition for our work. It underlines the importance of basic research for the development of new approaches to therapy,” said Magdalena Götz on the occasion of the award ceremony.
The Bavarian Order of Merit, which was established in 1957, is awarded to individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the Free State of Bavaria and its citizens. It is the second highest award in Bavaria after the Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art and is awarded annually to a limited number of people. The award recognizes not only scientific excellence, but also social commitment and special dedication to the common good.
