Robert Koch Foundation
| Robert Koch Foundation | |
|---|---|
| RKS-Logo.png | |
| legal form | registered association |
| founding | 1907 |
| Seat | Berlin |
| purpose | Promoting medical progress |
| Chair | Wolfgang Plischke |
| Website | robert-koch-stiftung.de |
The Robert Koch Foundation e. V. is a German non-profit Foundation for the promotion of medical progress, especially the basic research of infectious diseases , with offices based in Berlin (formerly Bonn ). When it was founded in 1907 , it was still called the “Robert Koch Foundation to Fight Tuberculosis ” in recognition of the pioneering work of medical researcher Robert Koch .
aims
- Basic research in infectious diseases
- immunology
- Measures to solve medical and hygienic problems in third world countries
The foundation annually awards the Robert Koch Prize , one of the most highly endowed medical prizes in Germany, as well as the Robert Koch Gold Medal for scientific lifetime achievement, and also awards three postdoctoral prizes . These are awarded to young scientists for outstanding publications in cooperation with the specialist societies relevant to this field, the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology , the German Society for Immunology and the Society for Virology (GfV). In addition, the foundation has been awarding the prize for hospital hygiene and infection prevention every two years since 2013 .
structure
The six-member board includes (as of 2019):
- Wolfgang Plischke, member of the Bayer AG Leverkusen Supervisory Board as chairman;
- Jörg Hacker , President of the Leopoldina , as Deputy Chairman;
- Stefan Schmittmann , Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Commerzbank AG Frankfurt / Main as treasurer;
- Andreas Penk, Regional President Oncology International Developed Markets Pfizer Berlin as secretary;
- SHE Kaufmann, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology and Head of the Department of Immunology Berlin as assessor;
- Susanne Wald, Ministerial Director of the Federal Ministry of Health Berlin as an assessor.
The foundation's 21-person board of trustees (2019) is made up of representatives of the big names of the pharmaceutical and industrial groups active in Germany and neighboring countries .
history
Robert Koch's scientific discoveries were a scientific sensation and a highly regarded milestone in the field of disease control. A call for a foundation to promote and ensure implementation in everyday medical practice was heard worldwide. The American steel industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie z. B. donated 500,000 gold marks. The first sponsor was the doctor whose name the foundation bears: Robert Koch. As early as 1909 he received 20,000 Reichsmarks for the continuation of tuberculosis research, namely the first interest on the foundation capital.
literature
- Ulrich Bienzle (Ed.): "Prevention, diagnosis and therapy of tropical diseases: (the present anthology documents a seminar of the Robert Koch Foundation" On the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of tropical diseases ", which was held in conjunction with the German Society for Tropical Medicine from 4 to 6 December 1991 in Berlin). Umwelt-und-Medizin-Verl.-Ges., Frankfurt / Main 1992. ISBN 3-921324-05-X
- "Articles and communications from the Robert Koch Foundation = Bulletin and communications. Environment & Medicine Verl.-Ges., Frankfurt, M. 1.1978 / 79; 2.1980-ff ISSN 0172-0201
- "Publications of the Robert Koch Foundation to Combat Tuberculosis" Leipzig: Thieme, 1911-1921 (journal)