The pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA awarded the 2025 Future Insight Prize to Prof. Magdalena Götz, Director of the Institute for Stem Cell Research at Helmholtz Munich and Chair of Physiological Genomics at the Biomedical Center of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. The € 250,000 award recognizes Götz's pioneering research in the field of brain regeneration.
The award – a € 250,000 research grant – recognizes Götz's pioneering work in the field of regenerative neurobiology, particularly the discovery of how functional nerve cells can arise from glial cells. This discovery of how to reprogram glial cells into functional neurons, opening up new therapeutic approaches for brain repair.
"Professor Götz’s work exemplifies the ambition of the Future Insight Prize to accelerate the development of scientific discoveries with tremendous potential to elevate humanity," said Belén Garijo, Chair of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck. "Her groundbreaking research brings the scientific community closer to the dream of regenerating damaged brain tissue and restoring cognitive function in patients suffering from devastating neurological conditions."
"I am grateful to see Merck’s long-standing support to pioneering research,” said Magdalena Götz. “My team’s work began with fundamental questions about brain development, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see it open new paths that could transform the future of regenerative medicine."
Götz's research has fundamentally reshaped the understanding of brain development and repair. Her team demonstrated that glial cells, traditionally seen as support cells, can act as neural stem cells and be reprogrammed into neurons. This discovery paves the way for regenerative therapies targeting neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Götz has received numerous accolades, including the Roger de Spoelberch Prize. Her research has been published in leading scientific journals. Based on her pioneering developmental discoveries, Götz invented a technique for reprogramming glia into neurons – a novel approach to replacing degenerated neurons.
Since 2018, the Future Insight Prize has recognized outstanding scientists whose work has the potential to enable groundbreaking innovations for the benefit of humanity.