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Jens Pahnke receives prize in pharmacology

Pahnke has been awarded the Oswald Schmiedeberg prize for pharmacology. He receives the prize for his research on, and development of, new drugs for dementia and movement disorders.

Image of Jens Pahnke with the prize

Professor Jens Pahnke received the prize during the conference Drug Discovery in Riga. Image: Beata Jansone

Professor Jens Pahnke was awarded the prize during the conference Drug Discovery in Riga. He was also appointed as an honorary member of the Latvian Society of Pharmacology.

– It means a lot to me to receive this award. It shows that my research is recognised internationally. In addition, the award makes this research even more visible, Pahnke says.

He emphasises that close collaboration with other researchers has been crucial in his work.

– I have carried out the research together with colleagues in Norway and many international partners. Our results would not have been possible without this collaboration, so the award goes to everyone who has contributed. I am very grateful to our partners, the professor says.

The research team develops new medications against dementia and movement disorders

Pahnke and his research group study the causes of, and possible treatments for, dementia such as Alzheimer's disease and movement disorders such as Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease. They have several ongoing international projects that develop and test new medicines and diagnostic methods.

Approximately 101,000 people live with dementia in Norway today, according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Dementia is a collective term for various brain diseases that affect the ability to think, remember and carry out everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.

– There are almost no effective drugs against dementia. The medicines that we use today can only minimise the symptoms. They do not address the actual causes of dementia, Pahnke says.

The goal of his research is to gain new knowledge that makes it possible to do just that.

– We develop medicines that act on the actual causes of the disease. These medicines can thus prevent or stop the disease process and the development of symptoms, he explains.

 

Oswald Schmiedeberg prize for pharmacology

The Oswald Schmiedeberg prize for pharmacology is awarded to a researcher who has made substantial contributions to the development of new medicines and to the field of pharmacology. Oswald Schmiedeberg (1838–1921) was a professor of pharmacology and is often referred to as the "father of modern pharmacology". He developed the field of clinical pharmacology and thus laid the foundations for drug development from the 19th century onwards. He was proposed for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine twelve times, but never received it.

Source: Wikipedia

By Elin Martine Doeland
Published Nov. 3, 2022 11:42 AM - Last modified Nov. 3, 2022 11:42 AM