Science: Körber Prize awarded to Finnish cell biologist Wickström
Our cells perceive their environment and react to it. At the award ceremony in Hamburg's city hall, it became clear why the Finnish biologist Wickström's findings are groundbreaking.
Sara Wickström, a 50-year-old medical researcher active in Münster and Helsinki, has been awarded the 2026 Körber Prize for European Science. She discovered that cells respond to mechanical stress or tension by switching certain genes on or off, which could lead to new approaches for detecting and treating diseases. The prize, worth one million euros, was presented at Hamburg City Hall by Hamburg's Mayor Peter Tschentscher.
Wickström's research could contribute to the development of new therapies for cancer, organ scarring, and other age-related diseases. The Körber Prize has been awarded since 1985 to scientists who have made significant discoveries in the physical or life sciences.
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