Jena. Martin Fischer, Staff Scientist and Head of the Cell and Molecular Biology Lab in the research group led by Steve Hoffmann at the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), has been awarded the prestigious
BBA Rising Stars in Biochemistry and Biophysics prize for 2024. Presented biennially by the
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) journal family, the award recognizes outstanding early-career scientists in biochemistry and biophysics whose innovative research has the potential to shape the future of the field.
Martin Fischer was selected from an international pool of nominees for his groundbreaking research on gene regulation by tumor suppressors and oncoproteins, with particular focus on the role of the tumor suppressor protein p53. His Mini-Review, titled
“Gene regulation by the tumor suppressor p53 – The omics era”, published in the prestigious journal
BBA Reviews on Cancer, was a key factor in earning him this award. The article explores how modern omics technologies have revolutionized our understanding of the mechanisms by which p53 regulates gene expression, highlighting its pivotal role in controlling cell growth, survival, and the suppression of cancer.
About Dr. Martin Fischer
Martin Fischer is a biochemist specializing in genome regulation and molecular oncology. At the FLI, he leads pioneering research projects investigating the molecular mechanisms of gene regulation and cancer biology. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the Medical Faculty of Friedrich Schiller University Jena. After earning dual doctoral degrees in Biology (2014) and Molecular Oncology (2015) from the University of Leipzig, Fischer conducted postdoctoral research as a Leopoldina Fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“I believe my most influential work to date concerns the role of p53 in regulating cell cycle genes,” explains Fischer. “We demonstrated that p53 itself exclusively activates genes and requires separate helper proteins to repress cell cycle genes. These findings have significantly influenced our understanding of p53 in cancer biology.”
In addition to his own research, Martin Fischer serves as a peer reviewer for more than 40 scientific journals and key funding organizations, contributing his expertise to advance cancer biology and genome research.
Background Information
The
Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) – upon its inauguration in 2004 – was the first German research organization dedicated to research on the process of aging. Around 350 employees from around 40 nations explore the molecular mechanisms underlying aging processes and age-associated diseases. For more information, please visit
www.leibniz-fli.de.
The
Leibniz Association connects 97 independent research institutions that range in focus from natural, engineering, and environmental sciences to economics, spatial, and social sciences and the humanities. Leibniz Institutes address issues of social, economic, and ecological relevance. They conduct basic and applied research, including in the interdisciplinary Leibniz Research Alliances, maintain scientific infrastructure, and provide research-based services. The Leibniz Association identifies focus areas for knowledge transfer, particularly with the Leibniz research museums. It advises and informs policymakers, science, industry, and the general public. Leibniz institutions collaborate intensively with universities – including in the form of Leibniz ScienceCampi – as well as with industry and other partners at home and abroad. They are subject to a transparent, independent evaluation procedure. Because of their importance for the country as a whole, the Leibniz Association Institutes are funded jointly by Germany’s central and regional governments. The Leibniz Institutes employ around 20,500 people, including 11,500 researchers. The financial volume amounts to 2 billion euros. For more information:
www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/en/.