Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize 2018 to Sara Montagner

Dr. Sara Montagner received the Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize 2018 from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) for her research on the function of immune cells conducted at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB, affiliated to USI Università della Svizzera italiana). The prize, worth 25,000 Swiss francs, will be awarded in Bellinzona on November 29, at the 10th edition of the dermatology meeting in Ticino, promoted by the scientific committee of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV).

During her thesis, under the supervision of Dr. Sivia Monticelli, Dr. Montagner discovered how epigenetic modifications of our DNA are a key aspect of the normal functioning of mast cells, which play an important role in immune reactions. These results have been published in several high-level scientific journals.

For the past 25 years, the SNSF has awarded Marie Heim-Vögtlin (MHV) scholarships to highly qualified researchers who have given up or reduced their professional activity for family reasons. Thanks to the scholarship, Dr. Montagner has had time to look after her young daughter while making her mark as an early-career researcher. The MHV prize is awarded annually to one of the researchers who benefits from this scholarship. Since May 2018, Dr. Montagner has been continuing her research activities at Novartis in Basel.

More information:
www.snf.ch/en/researchinFocus/newsroom/Pages/news-180918-press-release-marie-heim-voegtlin-prize-goes-to-sara-montagner.aspx 

Video portrait:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZGzU3Bhk1w&feature=youtu.be

Programme of award ceremony:
www.eadv.org/cms-admin/showfile/2018-MEETING-IN-TICINO-web%20programme%20-%20EADV%20web.pdf