Axel Ullrich

[[File:"_prefix)-->|" prefix)-->|thumb]] Axel Ullrich (born October 19, 1943) is a renowned German cancer researcher and biochemist. He is best known for his pioneering work in the field of molecular biology and oncology, particularly for his contributions to the development of targeted cancer therapies.

Early Life and Education

Axel Ullrich was born in Lauban, Germany. He pursued his undergraduate studies in biochemistry at the University of Tübingen and later obtained his Ph.D. in molecular genetics from the University of Heidelberg.

Career

Ullrich began his career at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, where he conducted significant research on the human genome. He later moved to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he worked on the insulin gene and its role in diabetes.

Key Contributions

One of Ullrich's most notable achievements is the development of Herceptin (trastuzumab), a monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. This groundbreaking work has had a profound impact on the treatment of breast cancer and has paved the way for the development of other targeted therapies.

Ullrich has also made significant contributions to the understanding of signal transduction pathways in cancer cells. His research has led to the identification of several key oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.

Awards and Honors

Axel Ullrich has received numerous awards for his contributions to science, including the Robert Koch Prize, the Wolf Prize in Medicine, and the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.

Current Work

Ullrich continues to be actively involved in cancer research. He is currently a director at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry and holds a professorship at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

Related Pages

• Cancer
• Biochemistry
• Molecular biology
• Oncology
• Monoclonal antibody
• Signal transduction
• Oncogene
• Tumor suppressor gene
• Herceptin
• Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry
• University of California, San Francisco
• University of Tübingen
• University of Heidelberg
• Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich