Avery-Landsteiner Prize for Immunology Awarded to Alain Fischer of Paris, France, by German Society for Immunology

11-Sep-2012 - United Kingdom

The German Society for Immunology (DGfI) has awarded its 2012 Avery-Landsteiner Prize to Alain Fischer, M.D., Ph.D., of Paris, France, for his milestone discoveries and treatment developments in the management of hereditary immunodeficiencies. The Prize was presented at the European Congress for Immunology in Glasgow, Scotland.

Sponsored by CSL Behring, the Avery-Landsteiner Prize can be awarded every two years to an internationally outstanding and highly distinguished immunologist. The Avery Landsteiner Award carries a monetary prize of €10,000.

"The Avery-Landsteiner Prize is the most prestigious scientific award conferred by the German Society for Immunology," said Dieter Kabelitz, President of the DGfI. "Dr. Fischer is in the hall of fame of a distinguished group of Award winners within the international medical community. It is with great pride that we donate the 2012 Prize to Dr. Fischer for his important professional contributions in the area of genetic descriptions of immunodeficiencies. He was the first to initiate genetic therapy of a rare and serious immunodeficiency disease, namely the gc gene defect in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (gc SCID).  Dr. Fischer has contributed immeasurably to advancing the world's understanding of medicine."

Since 1991, Alain Fischer has directed the INSERM research unit for "Normal and pathological development of the immune system" and, since 1996, the Clinical Unit of Pediatric Immunology and Hematology at the Necker Hospital in Paris, France.

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Genetic diseases once considered untreatable are now at the center of innovative therapeutic approaches. Research and development of gene therapies in biotech and pharma aim to directly correct or replace defective or missing genes to combat disease at the molecular level. This revolutionary approach promises not only to treat symptoms, but to eliminate the cause of the disease itself.

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Topic world Gene therapy

Genetic diseases once considered untreatable are now at the center of innovative therapeutic approaches. Research and development of gene therapies in biotech and pharma aim to directly correct or replace defective or missing genes to combat disease at the molecular level. This revolutionary approach promises not only to treat symptoms, but to eliminate the cause of the disease itself.