Among the selected is Elif Eroglu, former PhD student in the lab of Jürgen Knoblich for her thesis entitled: “The SWI/SNF complex regulates the Prdm protein Hamlet to ensure lineage directionality in Drosophila neural stem cells”. The other awardees are Martin Mikl and Jorge Omar Yanez Cuna (both IMP) as well as Vesely Cornelia and Zantke Juliane (both MFPL). 

Elif joined the Knoblich lab in 2009 and has focused on the chromatin-remodeling complex SWI/SNF that is frequently mutated in human tumors. Using fruit flies with induces brain tumors as a model, she was able to demonstrate the mechanism by which mutations in SWI/SNF result in lineage reversion and ultimately tumor formation.

The awardees were selected by an inter-institutional jury: Christian Seiser (MFPL), Armin Djamei (GMI), Fumiyo Ikeda (IMBA), Renée Schroeder (MFPL) and Rushad Pavri (IMP).

As well as the certificate, each of the winners received 500 euros. Congratulations to the winners on their excellent achievements!