Apply for the Young European Investigators 2009 award

Eppendorf and Nature, the world-renowned journal, are accepting applications for the 2009 Award for Young European Investigators. Open to scientists no older than 35 years of age, the €15,000 prize is offered to encourage and support the work of promising European biomedical researchers using molecular biology methods, including novel analytical concepts. This prestigious prize was established in 1995 on the occasion of Eppendorf’s 50th anniversary, and since 1998 it has been presented in partnership with the scientific journal Nature. Providing an opportunity for professional recognition and financial compensation for young biomedical scientists, the award focuses on the investigation of molecular biological mechanisms and the application of research findings to practical diagnosis and therapy of human diseases.

The 2008 Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators was won by Dr Simon Boulton of Cancer Research UK’s London Research Institute, for his work on the DNA Damage Response (DDR) in cells. Many inherited cancer predisposition syndromes occur following mutation in critical DDR genes. Having established the nematode C. elegans as a model system for the analysis of DDR pathways, a major effort of the Boulton Group is aimed at extending findings in C. elegans to mouse models and human cell culture in order to provide further insight into the fundamental roles performed by DDR pathways in human disease. Simon Boulton, comments: “This prestigious award represents a very important development in my career and acknowledges the hard work of my laboratory and our collaborators.” Applications for the Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators 2009, which must be submitted online at eppendorf.com/award by 30 June, need to include a short CV, a list of publications, a maximum of three papers to be evaluated and a 300-word essay summarising the papers. Submissions will be evaluated by an independent expert committee and Eppendorf will provide full support for the prize-winner to attend the award presentation in November 2009 at the Medica Congress in Düsseldorf, Germany.