News

Stanford University Professor Garry Nolan Wins the 2021 Hans Sigrist Prize

The 2021 Hans Sigrist Prize is awarded in the field of "The Single Cell Revolution and Precision Medicine". The prize winner is Prof. Dr. Garry Nolan of Stanford University (U.S.A.), who is recognized for his valuable work in the development of new methods to analyze single cells. His groundbreaking research, specifically the adaptation of the CyTOF technology for immunology in his lab, allows the precise analysis of dozens of parameters of single cells. With this new wealth of information, it is even possible to generate a fingerprint of a single cell. This approach has created a new line of research on how to spatially map single cells in a system to closely examine complex processes within cell populations. This information is crucial for a better understanding of the progression of diseases like cancer and for finding new therapeutic approaches.

An interview with Prof. Nolan is available in English here.  Professor Nolan will give the keynote address at the Hans Sigrist Symposium.

Leiden University's Prof. Ignas Snellen Wins 2019 Hans Sigrist Prize

The Hans Sigrist Foundation at the University of Bern in Switzerland has awarded the 2019 Hans Sigrist Prize to Prof. Ignas Snellen of Leiden University. A commmittee of experts, under the leadership of Professor Kevin Heng, Center for Space and Habitability of the University of Bern, presented a list of three finalists to the Board for the 2019 Hans Sigrist Prize in the field of "Exoplanets: Worlds Beyond Our Solar System". On April 9, 2019, the Board selected Professor Ignas Snellen of Leiden University in the Netherlands, as the 2019 Hans Sigrist Prize Winner.

Professor Ignas Snellen is a professor of astronomy at Leiden University  in the Netherlands and one of the most distinguished and innovative researchers in this year's prize field. His pioneering work, in demonstrating the use of the template-matching technique to unambiguously identify molecules in the atmospheres of exoplanets using high-resolution, ground-based spectroscopy, paves the way for the future detection of biosignatures, as the next generation of ground-based spectrographs comes online in the coming decades.  Professor Snellen will give the keynote address at the December 2019 Hans Sigrist Symposium.  An interview with Prof. Snellen is available here. 

University of British Columbia Professor Marina von Keyserlingk Wins 2018 Hans Sigrist Prize

Professor Marina (Nina) von Keyserlingk of The University of British Columbia is the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Industrial Research Chair in Animal Welfare at the Faculty of Land and Food Systems.  She is internationally one of the most distinguished and innovative researchers in the area of this year’s prize field “Sustainably Produced Food of Animal Origin”.  Prof. von Keyserlingk has pioneered the use of animal behavior (especially including automated measures) for the early detection and prediction of disease in farm animals. She is also a leader in her field due to her innovative approach to combining experimental, quantitative work and qualitative methods including online surveys, interviews, and focus groups to understand the perspectives of farmers, veterinarians, and the public regarding the care and use of farm animals. Her work has motivated scientific research better targeted at perceived constraints and illustrates a new trend towards interdisciplinary research to address societal concerns about the care and use of farm animals.

As a part of the week leading up to the award of the 2018 Hans Sigrist Prize, Professor von Keyserlingk gave a keynote address at the Foundation’s annual symposium, attracting a large crowd of interested listeners.  She was officially presented the prize at the University of Bern’s Annual “Dies Academicus” ceremony, on Saturday, December 1, 2018 in Bern, Switzerland. An interview with Prof. von Keyserlingk is available here. 

Radboud University Professor Heleen Murre-van den Berg Wins 2017 Hans Sigrist Prize

The Hans Sigrist Foundation at the University of Bern in Switzerland has awarded the prestigious 2017 Hans Sigrist Prize to Radboud University Professor Heleen Murre-van den Berg, for her contribution to the field “Historical Research in Eastern Christianity”.  Her works, focusing on Syriac Christianity in the Middle East from the 16th to 20th centuries, have enabled dialogue between different identities, churches, and cultures and between the East and West. She has shown particular excellence in combining philological, literary, historical, and theological methods and methods of cultural studies.

As a part of the week leading up to the award of the 2017 Hans Sigrist Prize, Professor Murre-van den Berg gave a keynote address at the Foundation’s annual symposium, attracting a large crowd of interested listeners.  She was officially presented the prize at the University of Bern’s Annual “Dies Academicus” ceremony, on Saturday, December 2, 2017 in Bern, Switzerland. An interview with Prof. Murre-van den Berg is available here.  An article in both German and English about Prof. Murre-van den Berg is available on the "Uniaktuell" page here.

University of Edinburgh Professor Gabriele Hegerl Wins 2016 Hans Sigrist Prize

The Hans Sigrist Foundation at the University of Bern in Switzerland has awarded the prestigious 2016 Hans Sigrist Prize to University of Edinburgh Professor Gabriele Hegerl, for her contribution to the field “The Human Fingerprint on the Earth System."  Prof. Hegerl has brought about continuing innovative scientific contributions that enabled the detection and attribution of anthropogenic climate change and her work has helped to clarify the causes of global climate change and, thus, enabled significant progress in international climate policy. She has also demonstrated longstanding dedicated leadership on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), where she has assumed societal responsibility and has shown inspiring enthusiasm in working with young scientists.

As a part of the week leading up to the award of the 2016 Hans Sigrist Prize, Professor Hegerl gave a keynote address at the Foundation’s annual symposium, attracting a large crowd of interested listeners.  She was officially presented the prize at the University of Bern’s Annual “Dies Academicus” ceremony, on Saturday, December 3, 2016 in Bern, Switzerland. An interview with Prof. Hegerl is available here.  An article in both German and English about Prof. Hegerl is available on the "Uniaktuell" page here.

Hans Sigrist Foundation Interview with 2015 Prize Winner, Prof. Luciano Marraffini

While he was in Bern to receive his award, The Hans Sigrist Foundation sat down with 2015 Prize Winner, Prof. Luciano Marraffini, to discuss his research. The full interview is available here.

Rockefeller University Professor Luciano Marraffini Wins 2015 Hans Sigrist Prize

The Hans Sigrist Foundation at the University of Bern in Switzerland, has awarded the prestigious 2015 Hans Sigrist Prize to Rockefeller University Professor Luciano Marraffini, for his contribution to the field of “Combatting Antibiotic Resistance: Novel Antibacterial Strategies”.  Specifically, Prof. Marraffini works with the CRISPR-Cas molecular system, the genetic machinery which provides bacteria with adaptive inheritable immunity (“genetic memory”) against phages and plasmid infections.  Professor Marraffini received the 2015 prize for his work in performing genetic manipulations of the natural bacterial CRISPR immunity, where he is developing a new approach to efficiently combat the spread of bacterial pathogens, especially those resistant to the clinically implemented antibiotic classes.

As a part of the week leading up to the award of the Hans Sigrist Prize, Marraffini gave a keynote address at the Foundation’s annual symposium, attracting a large crowd of interested listeners.  Marraffini was officially presented the prize at the University of Bern’s Annual “Dies Academicus” ceremony, on Saturday, December 5, 2015 in Bern, Switzerland. An interview with Prof. Marraffini will appear on this page in January.  A German language article about Prof. Marraffini is available on the "Uniaktuell" page here.

Hans Sigrist Foundation Interview with 2014 Prize Winner, Prof. Jennifer Klein

While she was in Bern to receive her award, the Hans Sigrist Foundation sat down with the 2014 Prize Winner to discuss her research.  The full interview is available here.

Yale Professor Jennifer Klein Wins 2014 Hans Sigrist Prize

The Hans Sigrist Foundation at the University of Bern in Switzerland, has awarded the prestigious 2014 Hans Sigrist Prize to Yale Professor Jennifer Klein, for her contribution to the field of “Women and Precarity: Historical Perspectives”.  Professor Klein’s research on the history and development of social security in the U.S.A., as well as her research on the history of care work, brilliantly combines social, economic, political and gender history. By applying a multi-perspective approach which takes into account all parties involved, as well as the interdependence of complex dynamics, Jennifer Klein has rewritten the history of the social state.

As a part of the week leading up to the award of the Hans Sigrist Prize, Klein gave a keynote address at the Foundation’s annual symposium, attracting a large crowd of interested listeners and separately spoke to students in the history department about her research.  Klein was officially presented the prize at the University of Bern’s Annual “Dies Academicus” ceremony, on Saturday, December 6, 2014 in Bern, Switzerland.