SYNERGY Award 2025 for Interdisciplinary Research Groups Profs. Dobrindt and Hensel
The synergistic effects involved in the action of natural products are key to their medicinal use. Research on these actions has been revolutionized in the past decades by methods that quantify synergy and by genomics techniques. The SYNERGY Award of the Society of Medicinal Plants and Natural Products aims to create awareness for research on these effects by awarding excellent research in the field. The price for 2025 was awarded to a consortium from the University of Münster (Prof. Dr. U. Dobrindt and Prof. Dr. A. Hensel with PhD students S. Boertz and M. Dey) from the Institute of Hygiene and the Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry. The research consortium is part of the Graduate School of Natural Products (GS-NP) of University of Münster. The results of this study demonstrate that extracts obtained from mixtures of traditionally used medicinal plants have different phytochemical profiles than the combined extracts from the individual plants. Using complex, standardized formulations traditionally used for urinary tract infections, it was shown that the "combined" extract exhibits distinct functionality against uropathogenic Escherichia coli, the primary urinary tract pathogen, compared to the individual plant extracts. Additionally, it was found that these "combined" extracts stimulate human bladder cells to defend themselves, reducing their susceptibility to bacterial infection.
The international scientific jury for the SYNERGY Award recognized the innovative nature of the research, its interdisciplinary approach combining microbiology, cell biology, traditional medicine, and advanced phytochemical analysis, and its ability to translate basic science into practical medical applications. This translation is crucial for the rationalization of traditional medicine and the development of herbal medicinal products into modern, evidence-based drugs.
The SYNERGY Award was handed over during the opening ceremony of the annual conference of the Society of Medicinal Plants and Natural Products in Naples, Italy.
„GA Discovery Award“ für Justus Mukavi
Das Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie und Phtochemie ist stolz auf Justus Mukavi (Arbeitskreis Schmidt), der beim Early Career Researcher Workshop anlässlich des 73. Internationalen Kongresses der Gesellschaft für Arzneipflanzen- und Naturstoffforschung in Neapel (31.08. – 03.09.25) für seinen exzellenten Vortrag mit dem ersten Preis in Form des „Discovery Awards“ ausgezeichnet wurde!
Der Titel des Vortrages, in dem Justus Mukavi Ergebnisse aus einem Teil seines laufenden Promotionsprojektes vorstellte, lautete: „Antiprotozoal Aminosteroid Alkaloids from Holarrhena pubescens Wall. ex G. Don.“ (Autor*innen: Justus Mukavi, Monica Cal, Marcel Kaiser, Pascal Mäser, Njogu M. Kimani, Leonidah Kerubo Omosa, Thomas J. Schmidt).
Die darin bearbeiteten Pflanzeninhaltsstoffe stellen eine hoch interessante neue Klasse von Wirk- und Leitsubstanzen gegen tropische Infektionskrankheiten dar.
Herzliche Gratulation an Justus und das ganze Team!
Interdisciplinary Research
Excellent Opportunities
Structured Program
