The GSCN 2026 Hilde Mangold Award goes to Maike Sander
Dr. Maike Sander, Scientific Director of the Max Delbrück Center, will receive the GSCN 2026 Hilde Mangold Award on September 10, 2026. With this award, the German Stem Cell Network (GSCN) honors an internationally renowned researcher whose work has significantly contributed to our understanding of how insulin-producing beta cells develop and function, and who has demonstrated exceptional scientific and institutional leadership.
Sander’s research has contributed to fundamental insights into pancreatic development, beta-cell plasticity, and regenerative strategies for diabetes. A particular focus of her work is understanding how beta cells can be generated from stem cells and how this knowledge can be harnessed for future therapeutic applications.
Beyond her own scientific work, Sander provides strategic leadership for biomedical research at both the institutional and national levels. She is Scientific Director and Chair of the Board of the Max Delbrück Center and also serves as Vice President of the Helmholtz Association for the research field Health, which brings together the expertise of more than 9,000 researchers and professionals across six Helmholtz Health research centers.
Building on her achievements as a scientist, Sander has progressively broadened her contribution to science by taking on increasing leadership responsibilities. This trajectory makes her an important role model for women in science, reflecting a career in which scientific excellence has provided the foundation for wider responsibility and impact.
Three outstanding achievements
In addition to the Hilde Mangold Award, the GSCN awarded two further prizes:
The GSCN 2026 Young Investigator Award goes to Dr. Jesse Veenvliet of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden. Veenvliet investigates cell and organ development, helping to uncover fundamental principles of embryonic development.
The GSCN 2026 Publication of the Year Award goes to Dr. Annika Zink, Dr. Alessandro Prigione et al. for their publication “Pluripotent stem-cell-based screening uncovers sildenafil as a mitochondrial disease therapy” published in “Cell.” Through their work, they demonstrate how patient-based stem cell models can accelerate the search for treatments for rare diseases.
Together, the three award-winning scientists’ work exemplifies research that seeks to understand fundamental biology, unlock new possibilities, and ultimately make a tangible difference. They will present their research and perspectives at the GSCN Conference 2026 on September 10 in Berlin.
About the GSCN Hilde Mangold Award
The GSCN presents the Hilde Mangold Award to outstanding female stem cell researchers. In addition to scientific achievements, the jury also aims to recognize an awardee’s role as a role model for young female scientists, as women remain underrepresented in leadership positions in stem cell research.
Hilde Mangold (born October 20, 1898, in Gotha; died September 4, 1924, in Berlin) conducted groundbreaking experimental research that led to the discovery of the embryonic organizer and the development of embryology as a scientific discipline. Her untimely death in a tragic accident prevented her from being honored alongside Hans Spemann when he received the Nobel Prize in 1935 for discovering the organizer effect.
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