Cologne eye researchers sweep up prizes in Berlin (again!)

An astounding number of awards for outstanding scientific achievements, eight in total, went to scientists and clinician-scientists of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Cologne and the DFG FOR2240 at the annual meeting of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) held in Berlin from September 26th to 29th 2019. Important parts of the prize-winning work was conducted within the German Research Foundation (DFG) Research Unit FOR 2240, which is the first and so far only DFG research unit ever to be housed in a university ophthalmology department.
Prof. Dr. Claus Cursiefen, speaker for the FOR 2240 research Unit and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, University hospital of Cologne received the Médaille d’Or Paul Chibret for exceptional engagement in international ophthalmology, research and international cooperation.
Other members of the FOR 2240 research unit were also honored with prizes.
The DOG Patent Prize went to Dr. Thomas Clahsen. The prize is sponsored by Heidelberg Engineering to support exceptional inventions in the area of ophthalmology and is only given once a year.
Dr. Caroline Gietzelt won the Glaucoma Research Prize of the section DOG – Glaucoma. This prize competition is founded by the section DOG to appreciate exceptional scientific original publications in the field of research of glaucoma. It changes annually if the prize is given for clinical or scientific research in glaucomatology
Other FOR2240-affiliated honorees are:
Dr. Yanhong Hou won the Science Prize (“Wissenschaftspreis”) of the Eye Foundation (“Stiftung Auge”) of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG).
Ms Friederike Schaub won the Julius- Springer-Award
Dr. Alexander Rokohl won the DOG – Award for the best Doctoral Dissertation.
Dr. Mario Matthaei won the Helmholtz Association Research Award