Congratulations to Dr. Cristian Prieto-Garcia

Foto: Stefan S. Sommer/ JGU

This year, the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) presented awards for the first time to outstanding scientists from the participating universities (Goethe University Frankfurt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and Technical University of Darmstadt).

Dr. Cristian Prieto-Garcia from the Institute of Biochemistry II at Goethe University Frankfurt was honored with the RMU Award for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovative Medical Therapies, initiated by the Frankfurt Foundation Quality of Medicines (FFQM). The award ceremony took place during a ceremony in the venerable “Alte Mensa” (old cafeteria) of Mainz University. At this event, Prof. Christian Wiese, holder of the Martin Buber Chair at Goethe University, Frankfurt, was also awarded the Sibylle Kalkhof-Rose RMU Prize for Humanities and Social Sciences. The ceremony was accompanied by music performed by an ensemble from the Mainz University Choir.

Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff, acting RMU spokesperson and president of Goethe University, emphasized that these awards represent another important step in the integration of the university network. He hopes that this will become a tradition and that awards for other RMU profile areas will be added in the future.

In his laudatory speech for the award winner Dr. Prieto-Garcia, Prof. Dr. Felix Hausch emphasized: „This award honors not only an excellent scientist, but also a visionary thinker who has the maturity, creativity, and drive to establish an independent research program that bridges the gap between fundamental biology and pharmaceutical innovation. His discoveries have the potential to revolutionize therapeutic approaches in cancer treatment and beyond, and his track record shows that he can translate bold concepts into tangible progress.“

Prieto-Garcia specializes in proteostasis and RNA processing in diseases such as cancer. He discovered that errors in RNA maturation can be deliberately induced to kill cancer cells. This paradigm-shifting concept opens up a whole new therapeutic space with extraordinary clinical potential. In a new research project, he is investigating DNA-protein cross-links (a type of DNA damage) that cause premature aging and embryonic mortality by activating the immune system.

At the award ceremony, Prof. Dr. Henning Blume emphasized on behalf of the founders that their aim was to give promising young scientists the recognition and visibility they deserve. Dr. Prieto-Garcia is a prime example of this and, given his pioneering research, a worthy first recipient of the award.

Foto: Stefan S. Sommer/ JGU

Foto: Stefan S. Sämmer / JGU