Hamburg’s First Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher has honored the 50th anniversary of the Jung Prize for Medicine with a Senate reception in the Great Ballroom of Hamburg City Hall. The prize has been awarded since 1976 by the Hamburg-based Jung Foundation for Science and Research and is one of the most prestigious and highly endowed medical prizes in Europe.

The Jung Prize honors outstanding scientific achievements in medical research. A special feature is the independent funding: the prize money is awarded without conditions and gives the award winners great scientific freedom. Many award-winning papers have had a lasting impact on medicine – including the foundations for Nobel Prize-winning discoveries such as the CRISPR-Cas9 gene scissors or mRNA technologies.

Dr. Peter Tschentscher emphasized that the Jung Prize has been helping to promote science and research and motivate young physicians for 50 years. The foundation’s award ceremonies, symposia and scholarships drew attention to Hamburg as a strong medical research and science location.

Jochen Spethmann, Chairman of the Board of the Jung Foundation, explained that the funding is an expression of responsibility towards science and society. It respects the freedom of research and at the same time creates conditions under which it can have an effect.

Prof. Thomas Boehm, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, emphasized that the prize honors works that are scientifically excellent and have clinical relevance – often long before their significance becomes visible in everyday life.

On the same day, May 21, 2026, the Jung Foundation awarded the 2026 Medical Awards at a festive dinner in the Hanse Lounge: The Jung Prize for Medicine was awarded to Professor Rohini Kuner (Heidelberg), the Jung Career Advancement Award to Dr. Fiona Kolbinger (Dresden) and the Jung Medal for Medicine in Gold to Professor Taroh Kinoshita (Osaka) for his life’s work.

The event underlines Hamburg’s role as a science location and the importance of independent, long-term research funding.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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