Research The Bayer Scientific Magazin, Edition 28

THROMBOSIS RESEARCH AWARD

When the body’s own sticking plaster fails

Dr. Markus Bender conducts research into blood clotting disorders. The biomedicine specialist from Würzburg received the 

Bayer Thrombosis Research Award 2015 for his work on a rare genetic condition.

One slip while chopping vegetables, and 

it happens – the tip of your finger is 

bleeding. Our bodies have a clever way 

of quickly closing the wound: minis-

cule disc-shaped blood platelets called 

thrombocytes collect at the edges of 

the wound and form a tiny plaster. The 

cells change their shape and aggregate, 

preventing any more blood from being 

lost. This is how our bodies deal with mi-

nor wounds. In children suffering from 

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, however, this 

mechanism does not work properly. Their 

blood has a low platelet count, and the 

cells are also too small. The young pa-

tients bleed easily and often suffer from 

a weakened immune system and skin 

conditions such as eczema.

“The condition is caused by a gene 

mutation,” explains Dr. Markus Bender, 

a biomedicine specialist at the Universi-

ty of Würzburg. The precise mechanisms 

responsible for this genetic disease lead-

ing to a malformation of the platelets 

were previously unknown. The 35-year-

old researcher and his colleagues have 

now unlocked this mystery. The key is a 

protein called profilin-1 which stabilizes 

the skeleton of the cell, ensuring that the 

platelets take their usual disc form and 

are able to interconnect to form a clot. 

The maturing platelets in Wiskott-Aldrich 

patients lack normally localized profilin-1, 

which causes a change in the structure of 

the cell skeleton. These are the findings of 

the research done by Bender’s team, and 

this could mean new approaches for ear-

ly diagnosis and treatment of a condition 

that often has a very poor prognosis.

Bender’s research has earned him the 

Bayer Thrombosis Research Award. The 

EUR 30,000 prize is awarded in recog-

nition of outstanding achievements by 

young scientists in the field of throm-

bosis  research.  “Dr.  Bender’s  research 

combines fundamental issues with im-

portant clinical questions,” says Dr. Frank 

Misselwitz, Head of Cardiovascular and 

Coagulation Clinical Research at Bayer. 

Misselwitz is one of the sponsors of the 

thrombosis award, along with Dr. Dag-

mar Kubitza and Dr. Elisabeth Perzborn. 

In 2009, the three Bayer researchers won 

the German Future Prize and used the 

EUR 250,000 prize money to set up the 

thrombosis award for young scientists. 

Bayer doubled this starting capital. The 

award was presented for the first time  

in 2013.

“I intend to use the prize money to raise 

the profile of my work, and to pursue 

research ideas that are exciting but also 

possibly a little risky,” says Bender. The 

German research community has also 

given Bender a place in the renowned 

Emmy Noether Program, which will en-

able him to spend five years establishing 

his own team of young scientists. This 

was one of the reasons he came back to 

Germany after spending two years at Har-

vard Medical School in the United States.  

“I had a great time. Boston is a Mecca for 

research,” he says. “But the conditions for 

pursuing a scientific career are currently 

more attractive in Germany.”

An eye for blood clotting – Dr. Markus Bender is investigating the mechanisms of a rare platelet disorder.  

His findings could lead to new possibilities in early diagnosis and treatment.

Mechanisms for malformed 

 platelets discovered

24

Bayer research 28    July 2015

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HUMBOLDT SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS GET TO KNOW BAYER

The other side of science

Young scientists often see few points of overlap between industry and academic research. “For me, industry was a kind of black 

box,” says Dr. Peter Lundquist, a plant biochemist from the United States who is currently completing a postdoctorate at the 

University of Düsseldorf. However, unlike most up-and-coming researchers, he has had the chance to gain a real insight into 

the chemical industry. That was possible thanks to a research scholarship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

BAYER SUPPORTS NCL FOUNDATION 

Raising awareness of childhood dementia

Educational initiative sends practice-oriented teaching package on the genetics of rare illnesses into senior high school classes.

Each year, the Bayer Science Foundation funds ten of these 

scholarships. They give highly qualified young scientists from 

all over the world the opportunity to spend up to two years 

working at a research institute in Germany. In addition to par-

ticipating in the Humboldt Foundation’s program, the Bayer 

Humboldt Fellows also take part in exclusive Bayer events and 

are assigned an experienced Bayer researcher to act as their 

mentor. Lundquist has met several times with his mentor, Dr. 

Michael Metzlaff from Bayer Innovation Relations. “He opened 

my eyes to how dynamic industrial research actually is and 

what outstanding scientific work is being done there,” says 

Lundquist. He is currently focusing on fundamental research, 

studying specific proteins in plant cells that are found in the 

membranes of chloroplasts – the organelles in which photo-

synthesis occurs. Thanks to his insight into research at Bayer, 

Lundquist can now see himself switching to the industrial 

sector in the future.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL), also known as Batten disease, is a se-

rious, hereditary metabolic disorder that causes childhood dementia. The 

condition affects approximately 700 children in Germany and leads to a 

long-drawn-out death. The primary objective of the Hamburg-based NCL 

Foundation is to raise awareness of the rare disease among the younger 

generation. The foundation’s educational initiative receives funding from the 

School Support Program of the Bayer Science & Education Foundation to 

support its special teaching ideas, which encourage schoolchildren to take a 

long-term interest in science and progress. The NCL Foundation has worked 

together with cooperation partners to develop a practice-oriented teaching 

package for senior high school classes to raise students’ awareness of the 

genetic background to NCL and other rare conditions. At the same time, this 

initiative also makes clear to them the importance of this gathered knowl-

edge for medicine in general, provides insights into medical professions and 

also throws up ethical issues. At the end of the course, the final year stu-

dents themselves become active and organize an information campaign or 

fund-raising event. In May, the NCL Foundation also won second place in the 

Bayer Cares Foundation’s Aspirin Social Award 2015.

Practical knowledge in the biology classroom: thanks to the NCL 

Foundation’s educational initiative, final year students learn about the 

genetic background to rare conditions such as hereditary childhood 

dementia. They also discuss ethical issues.

Far-sighted biochemist – Dr. Peter Lundquist is currently working in fundamental 

research, but also sees opportunities in industry.

Photos: Bayer AG (1), Gunnar Bartsch (1), Mar

cus Müller-Sar

an (1), Michael Rennertz (1), private (2)

Bayer research 28    July 2015

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