During the 64th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Nuclear Medicine (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nuklearmedizin, DGN), Prof. Uwe Haberkorn was awarded the Georg von Hevesy Medal. This highest distinction conferred by the DGN recognizes outstanding scientific achievements that have made a decisive contribution to the development and clinical establishment of innovative methods in nuclear medicine.
The award highlights the particular significance of his work for modern molecular imaging and therapy – especially in the context of personalized medicine and oncological diseases.
Prof. Haberkorn is an emeritus professor and formerly served as Medical Director of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Heidelberg University Hospital. He also headed the Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), was a DZL Principal Investigator, and for many years a faculty member of the Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC) within the German Center for Lung Research (Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung, DZL).
At the core of his scientific work is the development of molecular approaches for improved diagnosis and treatment of cancer. His research group identified, using molecular biology and biotechnology methods, compounds that selectively bind to tumor cells. After successful preclinical validation, these ligands were successfully translated into clinical application.
A particularly important advance is the use of radiolabeled molecules that allow activated stromal cells in patients with lung tumors to be visualized through molecular imaging. These techniques provide valuable information for tumor characterization and thereby support clinical treatment decisions. In addition, the group investigates the potential of these approaches for early diagnosis and possible therapeutic targeting of pulmonary fibrosis.
The Georg von Hevesy Medal is one of the most prestigious scientific awards in nuclear medicine in the German-speaking world. It represents outstanding scientific excellence and recognizes work that has significantly shaped the advancement of the field.
Source: Prof. Haberkorn honoured with the Georg-von-Hevesy Medal - TLRC Heidelberg
