2019 - Preisträger

Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of neurons. The decay of neurons is triggered by an accumulation of the synaptic protein a-Synuclein. The aggregation mechanisms for this protein were unclear until recently. Friederike Zunke received the Schilling Forschungspreise for her contributions to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s disease. Her work especially focuses on the forming of pathological a-Synuclein aggregates and on their cytotoxic effects. She could demonstrate the damaging effects of lysosomal dysfunction, and the subsequent accumulation of lysosomal lipids, on the aggregation of the neurotoxic a-Synuclein. Understanding the molecular principles of Parkinson’s is crucial for the development of new therapies which are unsatisfying so far since they cannot stop a progression of the disease.
Friederike Zunke received her PhD in Biochemistry at the Christian Albrecht University in Kiel. As a PhD student she went to the Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital for a research stay. She worked as a postdoc at the Neurological Institute, Northwestern University of Chicago before being offered a group leader position at the Institute for Biochemistry at the Christian Albrecht University in Kiel.

Call for applications 2021