Pioneers of medical materials innovation
The ETH Zurich Latsis Prize goes to Professor Inge Herrmann, and the Lopez-Loreta Prize to researcher Alexandre Anthis. The two scientists have been working together for five years to develop new materials and applications for medicine.
Inge Herrmann is Professor of Nanoparticle Systems, and ETH Zurich has effectively rewarded her group twice: she herself holds the ETH Zurich Latsis Prize 2023, while her colleague, postdoctoral researcher Alexandre Anthis has been awarded the Lopez-Loreta Prize 2023. The Rector of ETH Zurich presented the awards to the two researchers on ETH Day.
The pair were thus rewarded for their outstanding contributions to the field of medical materials innovation. They share the same motivation: they both aim to understand the needs of clinicians and patients from the ground up in order to develop new solutions for current medical challenges. With their passion for medicine, they are committed to bridging the gap between research and clinical application. They have both achieved significant advances in medicine and medical technology.
A good example of their work is the development of an intelligent sealant patch for intestinal surgery, developed in Herrmann's lab at ETH and Empa. The patch avoids and detects leaks.
ETH Zurich Latsis Prize
The Latsis Foundation, set up in 1975 with the fortune of the Greek shipping magnate Yiannis Latsis, funds several prizes for science in Switzerland, including the ETH Zurich Latsis Prize. Each year, ETH confers it on outstanding young researchers across all research disciplines. It is always presented on ETH Day by the Rector, and is worth CHF 25,000.
Lopez-Loreta Prize
The Lopez-Loreta Prize is awarded annually by ETH to celebrate outstanding graduates. The winners receive EUR 1 million over a period of 5 years to implement their own research or innovation projects. The prize is sponsored by the Fondation Jean-Jacques et Felicia Lopez-Loreta. This prize is also presented on ETH Day.