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Four lead biologist are among ten scientists to have been grant the esteemedGottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prizefor their research , theGerman Research Foundation(DFG ) annunciate Dec. 11 .

Maria - Elena Torres - Padilla , Volker Haucke , Ana PomboandRobert Zeiserwere selected out of 142 people to have the 2025 Leibniz Prize for their various research in cell biology , neuroscience , biochemistry andcancer . They will each pick up 2.5 million euro , tantamount to approximately $ 2.6 million , in prize money .

Photograph of Ana Pombo looking at the camera and smiling. She is wearing a white blouse and black glasses. There is a staircase behind her.

Ten scientists have been awarded the 2025 Leibniz Prize. Ana Rombo, pictured above, is one of four biologists among them.

Beyond biological science , additional prizes were award to philosopher and mathematicianHannes Leitgeb ; chemistBettina Valeska Lotsch ; physicistWolfram Pernice ; computer scientistDaniel Rückert ; mathematicianAngkana Rüland ; and theologianMichael Seewald .

Established in 1985 , the Leibniz Prize is considered Germany ’s most prestigious scientific honor and is bestowed upon up to 10 scientists every year . Per the DFG website , the honor aims to " honor outstanding scientist and faculty member , expand their research chance , and help them employ particularly restricted early calling researchers . "

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Artwork of an immune cell, in yellow, attacking a cancer cell, in blue. There are other cancer cells around them.

One of the award recipients' work focuses on how tumor cells evade attack by the immune system.

As of 2024 , 12 past prizewinners have later plump on to be award aNobel Prize , includingthe Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo in 2022for his work on sequencing the Neanderthal genome and German developmental biologistChristiane Nüsslein - Volhardin 1995 for her discoveries on the hereditary control of early embryotic development .

Maria - Elena Torres - Padilla , the first of the prize - winners , isDirector of the Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells at Helmholtz Munich in Germany . Her work centre on reprogramming mature cells to resemble those found in other embryo , which have the power to become any type of cell — a trait known astotipotency . This means that you may create what Torres - Padilla call " cells à la carte , " which can be used to develop individualised therapies for particular disease .

" By reprogramming cells back to totipotency — a very early embryologic State Department — we are conceptualize transformative therapies that range from neurodegenerative disease tobraininjuries and leukemia , " Torres - Padilla said in astatementin response to receiving the award .

A headshot of Jens Holst in the centre against an enlarged, blurred version of the same photo.

Another awarding recipient , Volker Haucke , is a managing director of the Leibniz - Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie research institute in Berlin . He hit the books how neurons absorb substances from their surroundings plays a fundamental use in shapinghow they communicate with one anotherand stay healthy . His team hopes to practice this knowledge to developnew therapy for neurologic and neurodegenerative disorder , includingAlzheimer ’s disease .

Ana Pombo , a professor of biochemistry at Humboldt University of Berlin , has also been spot for her discoveries related to the organization ofchromosomesthatare say to have ledto a " raw understanding of gene regulation and the underlying structures within the cadre core . " These discoveries may help revealhow sure diseasesthat are sometimes tie to chromosomal abnormalities , such asautismandepilepsy , may arise .

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Lastly , cancer life scientist Dr. Robert Zeiser hasbeen award the 2025 Leibniz Prizefor his " groundbreaking ceremony work on the treatment of blood Cancer the Crab . " Zeiser , who is director of the Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Deputy Medical Director at the University of Freiburg in Germany , studies how tumour supervise to evade the body’simmune defences , peculiarly in the cause ofleukemia and skin cancer .

Jane Goodall with a chimpanzee

These scientist will fall in the six other awardees , who were know for their work in other fields ranging from experimental purgative toartificial intelligence activity , at the official honor observance on March 19 , 2025 .

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