Paul Ehrlich Prize Honors Groundbreaking Immunology Discoveries

Andrea Ablasser, Glen Barber, and Zhijian Chen have been awarded the prestigious Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize for 2025. These distinguished scientists from Switzerland and the USA were recognized for their discovery of the cGAS-STING signaling pathway, a crucial mechanism in the body's innate immune response. This pathway acts as an 'alarm system,' detecting the presence of foreign or damaged DNA in the cytoplasm of cells, often signaling infections, cancer, or cellular stress.

The human immune system relies on this pathway to initiate immediate defense responses. Without it, survival would be compromised. Between 2008 and 2013, the awardees mapped out the steps and signals of this intracellular alarm system, providing deeper insights into its operation. Their findings opened new avenues for the treatment of infections, cancer, and inflammatory diseases.

The cGAS-STING pathway discovery is considered a fundamental advancement in immunology. Medications targeting this pathway are currently in development, showing promise for more effective treatments. Thomas Boehm, Chairman of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation, emphasized the significance of this discovery, stating it has revolutionized the potential for medical treatments against various diseases.

Andrea Ablasser is a professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. Glen Barber conducts his research at the Ohio State University, and Zhijian Chen is affiliated with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. The Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, Germany's most esteemed medical award, carries a monetary prize of 120,000 euros and is traditionally awarded on March 14, Paul Ehrlich's birthday.