Research with fish models in biology and medicine awarded

The American neurobiologist Monte Westerfield receives the Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Award 2018.

Stephan Neuhauss (r), Universität Zürich, und Uwe Strähle (l), KIT, verleihen den Christiane-Nüsslein-Volhard-Preis 2018 an den Neurobiologen Monte Westerfield (m), University of Oregon, Eugene, USA. (Foto: W. Driever/Uni Freiburg) — Stephan Neuhauss (r), University of Zurich, and Uwe Strähle (l), KIT, award the Christiane Nüsslein Volhard Prize 2018 to the neurobiologist Monte Westerfield (m), University of Oregon, Eugene, USA (photo: W. Driever/University Freiburg)

The neurobiologist Monte Westerfield (University of Oregon, Eugene, USA) was honoured with the Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Award by the European Society for Fish Models in Biology and Medicine. Prof. Westerfield has made outstanding contributions to biomedical research in the areas of brain, ear, muscle and eye development. He is amongst the first scientists pioneering the zebrafish as genetic model organism and has made significant achievements in the development of this experimental system.

Prof. Westerfield is the founder of the Zebrafish Information Network (ZFIN) , a web database used by thousands of scientists worldwide and the initiator and director of the Zebrafish International Resource Centre (ZIRC), stocking tens of thousands of mutant and transgenic zebrafish lines and delivering them to the scientific community. Monte Westerfield’s work and community-centered initiatives have a global impact by disseminating information and zebrafish genetic lines to support excellence in international research.

jho, 08.10.2018