Germany
In recognition of his seminal contributions to neuropathology, oncology, and stem cell research, particularly in translating scientific discoveries into clinical applications to improve patient outcomes; of his scientific leadership and mentorship, which have played an instrumental role in shaping health research in Germany; and of his warm friendship with Israel and its scientific community.
Prof. Otmar D. Wiestler represents a rare combination of top-notch researcher, scientific leader, and mentor, and an outspoken supporter of Israeli science and the Weizmann Institute.
He studied medicine at the University of Freiburg, Germany, in his native city, graduating in 1981. He then conducted research and received clinical training as a neuropathology resident at the University of Freiburg’s Medical Center. Upon completion of his postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Diego, he moved to the University Hospital of Zürich, and later returned to Germany where he accepted a position as professor of neuropathology at the University of Bonn. For the next 10 years, he headed the University’s Institute of Neuropathology, leading it to become a major center for molecular investigations of brain tumors.
Prof. Wiestler’s research is focused on the neuropathology of central nervous system tumors, the genetic basis of tumor development in the nervous system, neural stem cells, and reconstructive neurobiology. His work has yielded significant contributions to basic and clinical research in tumor genetics and stem cell-based cancer therapy, as well as the molecular neuropathology of focal epilepsies.
As Prof. Wiestler rose to become a prominent leader of the German and international scientific community, he continued his efforts to bridge and apply basic research in the clinic. In 2004, he was appointed as Chair of the Board and Scientific Director of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, one of the world’s leading institutions in cancer research. Some 11 years later, Prof. Wiestler became President of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers, a union of 18 scientific-technical and biological-medical research centers, a position he still holds today.
Throughout his career, Prof. Wiestler has demonstrated true commitment to cultivating scientific ties between Germany and Israel, and particularly with the Weizmann Institute of Science. As director of DKFZ, he pushed for the establishment of an exchange program for Israeli and German students in cancer research, initiated a joint program in personalized medicine between Helmholtz and Israeli partners, and helped launch the German-Israeli Helmholtz International Research School in Cancer Biology, a joint PhD program between the DKFZ and the Feinberg Graduate School of the Weizmann Institute. As President of the Helmholtz Association, he has advocated for several unique collaborations with the Weizmann Institute, including on the ULTRASAT initiative – a main component of the Institute’s Frontiers of the Universe flagship project.
Recognizing his immense contribution to scientific research in Germany and beyond, Prof. Wiestler was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2005 and the German Cancer Award in 2004. He has been a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina since 2001.