Elly Tanaka and Jürgen Knoblich elected to German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
Elly Tanaka, who took over the position as IMBA’s scientific director in April 2024, studies the regeneration of complex body structures. In particular, Tanaka focuses on the molecular and cellular basis of limb and nervous system regeneration. Her model organism, the axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum, displays remarkable regenerative capabilities. In her current projects, Tanaka seeks to further understand what makes cells able or not able to undergo regeneration. She is extending her studies to assess the functionality of regenerated organs, especially the nervous system control of the regenerated organ.
At the Leopoldina, Tanaka was elected to the section Genetics/Molecular Biology and Cell Biology. Tanaka is a full member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and was inducted into the US National Academy of Sciences in 2023. She received the Schrödinger Prize of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the German Ernst Schering Prize, among others. In 2023, the ERC awarded an Advanced Grant to Elly Tanaka for studying the innervation of regenerating limbs.
Jürgen Knoblich, senior group leader at IMBA and Director of the Institute of Human Biology in Basel, studies the biology of neuronal stem cells. In particular, Knoblich and his group investigate how stem cells give rise to the complex structure of the brain. Knoblich has pioneered the use of brain organoids for studying brain development and disease. The groundbreaking brain organoid technology has enabled Knoblich and his group to understand fundamentals of human brain development, such as the unique connectivity and size of human brains, and to shed light on neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and Parkinson’s disease.
Knoblich has been elected to the section Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine of the Leopoldina. Knoblich is a full member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and a member of the Academia Europaea. He has received the Schrödinger Prize of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Wittgenstein Award, among others.
The Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina has been the German National Academy of Sciences since 2008. It scientifically reviews and addresses key issues of prospective significance to society. The Academy operates irrespective of political and economic objectives. The Leopoldina unites researchers with outstanding expertise in their respective fields, currently counting around 1,600 Academy members from over 30 countries. Election to the Academy is carried out in a multi-stage selection process and admission criteria are outstanding scientific achievements.