Although they contain the same genetic blueprint, the different cell types in the human body perform various tasks depending on which genes are active within them. Whilst heart muscle cells generate the mechanical force for the heartbeat, so-called endothelial cells form the inner lining of blood vessels and thus regulate, amongst other things, blood clotting. When which tasks – and thus which gene activities – are required is controlled by a complex network of molecular signals. Of particular importance here are so-called non-coding RNAs. These small molecules act like ‘switches’ within the cells: they control which genes in a cell are switched on or off – a mechanism that becomes particularly important when heart tissue is damaged, for example following a heart attack.
This is precisely where Stefanie Dimmeler’s research comes in. Together with her team, she has demonstrated how the inner lining of blood vessels is regulated at the cellular level and how these processes can be specifically influenced to strengthen vascular protection. In doing so, Dimmeler has contributed to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases and has brought non-coding RNAs into the focus of new therapeutic approaches, for example for the treatment of premature ageing processes in the heart. Dimmeler’s work demonstrates how findings from basic molecular research can be translated into clinical application.
Stefanie Dimmeler is a biologist and has been a professor and director at the Institute for Cardiovascular Regeneration at the Centre for Molecular Medicine at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main since 2008. She is also Chair of the Board of the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) and Spokesperson for the Cluster of Excellence Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI). She is regarded across disciplines as one of the most cited scientists in Germany and has received numerous awards for her research – including the Otto Warburg Medal from the Society for Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (GMB) in 2022 and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize from the German Research Foundation (DFG) in 2005. In 2017, she was elected a member of the Leopoldina’s Section for Internal Medicine and Dermatology.
The Hector Science Prize has been awarded annually since 2009 by the Hector Foundation in Weinheim and is endowed with 200,000 euros. It honours professors at German universities and research institutions for their outstanding research achievements and their special commitment to teaching and the promotion of young scientists. Several Leopoldina members have previously been among the prize winners, including Matthias Tschöp and Stefanie Dehnen (both 2024) and Magdalena Götz and Klaus-Robert Müller (both 2023).