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Professor Richard Gallo awarded 19th annual Friedrich Merz Guest Professorship / high-caliber symposium held in Frankfurt
Frankfurt, 17.06.2009
This year, Professor Richard L. Gallo of the University of California, San Diego, became the first dermatologist to be awarded the Friedrich Merz Guest Professorship for Pharmacy and Human Medicine at Goethe University in Frankfurt. To celebrate the occasion, the Frankfurt University Skin Clinic (Center of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology), in cooperation with Merz, will hold a symposium titled "The challenge of aging skin - physiology and therapy" on June 17, 2009.
The one-day symposium at the German National Library will focus on the largest human organ, the skin. "The Friedrich Merz Guest Professorship is an important contribution to international dialog and knowledge exchange among high-ranking experts, who this year are addressing a particularly interesting area, the aging and defense mechanisms of our skin," says Professor Roland Kaufmann, Director of the University Skin Clinic and Chairman of the University Clinic. In addition to Professor Gallo, eight other experts from Europe and overseas will be presenting on the current status of their research work. The spectrum of presentations will range from molecular-biological aspects of skin aging to different methods of prevention and treatment.
"For the first time, the Friedrich Merz Foundation Guest Professorship will focus on the topic of dermatology. Therefore, it is our great pleasure to award Richard Gallo, an outstanding scientist in this field, this year's Professorship," explains Dr. Martin Zügel, CEO of Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH. "Through his work, which is focused on the interaction between the skin and the immune system, he is making an important contribution to the study of different skin diseases."
Richard Gallo was appointed Chair of the Dermatology Department at the University of California, San Diego, after previous engagements at the University of Rochester and Harvard University. For many years, his research has focused on so-called antimicrobial peptides, small endogenic protein molecules. Gallo discovered that humans and other mammals have the ability to produce their own natural "antibiotics." These small protein molecules, which are part of the immune system, form the first line of defense against infections. They are used by the skin for protection against bacterial attacks and are associated with certain inflammatory skin diseases. Over the course of a person's life, their protective function is subject to changes as part of the aging process, and the important defense and barrier function of the skin is reduced in older people.
Professor Gallo has published his groundbreaking work in prestigious scientific journals such as Nature or the renowned New England Journal of Medicine. He has received numerous honors, such as the Nobel Lecture at the famous Karolinksa Institute in Sweden.
In addition to the symposium, on June 18, Professor Gallo will hold a public forum on the topic of "Skin Aging - Fact and Fiction".
The Friedrich Merz Guest Professorship
The Friedrich Merz Guest Professorship was founded in December 1985 in honor of the 100th birthday of Friedrich Merz. Its mission is to appoint an especially well-reputed scientist from the field of pharmaceuticals or human medicine to the Universtiy of Frankfurt each year. The Foundation's Guest Professorship is named after the founder of Merz Pharma, Friedrich Merz, who, as one of the first members of the Senckenbergische Gesellschaft, had close ties with the University of Frankfurt and was a patron of science. The Guest Professorship and the symposium offer researchers from both the academic world and the industry the opportunity to participate in an annual exchange of knowledge and to build a foundation for further collaboration in the future.
About Merz
Medicinal products for treating neurological and psychological illnesses are the main line of Merz business. The company is a leader in the area of Alzheimer research. With Memantine, Merz developed the first substance in the world for treating moderate to severe stages of Alzheimer. Memantine is the second most popular Alzheimer medication worldwide. Another area of Merz expertise is clinical and aesthetic dermatology. In addition to the pharmaceutical market, Merz also operates in the health sector beyond the scope of pharmacies. With its established tetesept® and Merz Spezial® brands, Merz Consumer Care is one of the leading suppliers of self-medication, dietary supplement and skin care products in the German-speaking world. Senator GmbH & Co. KGaA, a Merz subsidiary, is one of the leading manufacturers of writing utensils on the world market for promotional items.
The Merz Group has a staff of 2,289 employees worldwide (previous year 2,052 employees). In 2007/2008 the company generated sales amounting to around 610 million euros (previous year around 535 million euros).
About the Goethe University
The Goethe University, with its strong research focus, is based in Frankfurt, Europe's financial metropolis. It was founded 94 years ago by Frankfurt citizens and is now one of Germany's ten largest universities. On January 1, 2008 it returned to its historical roots as a university financed by foundations, guaranteeing it an exceptional degree of autonomy. And the historical ensemble of buildigns designed by Julius Poelzig back in the 1920s in Frankfurt's Westend is now the hub of what, when complete, will be Germany's most beautiful campus - the construction work will cost a total of about EUR 600 million. Since 2000, over 50 new foundation-financed professorships and visiting professorships have been established, meaning the Goethe University is again the trailblazers in Germany, and has been well up with leaders for three consecutive issues of the CHE's three research ranking table and the German Academic Excellence Initiative.
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Picture: Prof. Richard L. Gallo
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