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Christoph Hess awarded the Cloëtta Prize
Professor Christoph Hess from the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel is researching the interplay between the immune system and metabolism. For this, he will receive this year’s Cloëtta Prize for Medical Research.
27 October 2023
The Prof. Dr. Max Cloëtta Foundation is honoring two scientists this year: Prof. Dr. Sebastian Jessberger from the Brain Research Institute at the University of Zurich and Prof. Dr. Christoph Hess, research group leader at the Universities of Basel and Cambridge and Chief Physician at the University Hospital Basel. They receive the science prize of 50,000 Swiss francs each for their outstanding research work.
The focus of Hess’ research is immune metabolism. This field of research investigates how cellular metabolism controls the development and function of immune cells. For example, the magnesium level in the blood plays an essential role in how well the immune system can fight pathogens or cancer cells, as Hess showed.
A better understanding of how metabolic processes take place in immune cells at the molecular level and how they influence immune function in healthy and sick people opens up new ways to influence the function of immune cells and, thus, the immune response. The research results of Christoph Hess and his team have led to important insights into immune metabolism, which may result in new therapeutic approaches.
“Christoph Hess is an internationally outstanding leader and a ‘change maker’ in the field of immunology,” the foundation stated in its announcement. The combination of findings from basic research with clinical human immunology and patient care make his research and the resulting contributions unique.
The Cloëtta Prize has been awarded since 1974 to personalities who have rendered outstanding services to medical research. The award ceremony will take place on 24 November 2023 at the Centre for Teaching and Research of the University Hospital Basel.
