BBAW Prize for cancer researcher Simon Haas
The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities recognizes Professor Simon Haas for his outstanding achievements in cancer research. The prize, sponsored by the Monika Kutzner Foundation, is endowed with 10,000 euros. Haas' lab is part of the focus area “Single-Cell Approaches for Personalized Medicine”, in which the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center are jointly researching innovative medical solutions.
Our work focuses on the development of novel technologies that allow us to understand the development of cancer in more detail at the single-cell level.
“Our work focuses on the development of novel technologies that allow us to understand the development of cancer in more detail at the single-cell level. In particular, we have made significant progress in elucidating the mechanisms of blood cancer and have gained new insights into how the body's own processes counteract the development of cancer,” explains Simon Haas.
Clincal applications
Together with his research group “Systems Hematology, Stem Cells & Precision Medicine”, he is working on bringing newly conceived technological approaches directly into clinical application. For example, the scientists are developing new approaches to predict which patients will respond to a therapy. This would help doctors to use therapies in a more personalized, targeted and effective way, which could reduce side effects and increase the chances of success.
Haas' lab combines the development of new technologies with the goal of rapid clinical application, thereby advancing both basic research and patient care. “This is only possible because our team of experts in technology development, computer science and medicine work closely together across conventional disciplines,” says Haas.
The award means a great deal to Haas personally, because it is a great appreciation of the work that has been done, he says: “The award confirms that our interdisciplinary approach is the right way to go. At the same time, I would like to emphasize that the actual award goes to my entire team - without them, this success would not be possible.”
- About Simon Haas
Simon Haas studied Molecular Cell Biology and Molecular Biosciences with a focus on Cancer Biology at Heidelberg University, Imperial College London and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). He received his doctorate from the DKFZ and Heidelberg University in 2016. Simon Haas conducted research at the DKFZ, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University in Boston and Cambridge, USA. In 2016, he became junior group leader at HI-STEM of the DKFZ. He has been in Berlin since 2020 and has been a Heisenberg Professor at the BIH, Charité and the Max Delbrück Center since 2024. He also holds an adjunct professorship at the Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI) at Queen Mary University in London.
Further information
Joint focus area “Single-cell approaches for personalized medicine”
