Science Prize
The DGG awards a research prize worth €4,000 (sponsored by W.L. Gore) for an outstanding published paper on the subject of vascular medicine.
The specific requirements for the DGG Science Prize are:
- A completed university degree
- Membership of the DGG e.V.
- Completed scientific work
- A supporting statement from the head of the clinic (a member of the DGG)
- Demonstration of the relevance/significance of the work
- Publication of the thesis in an internationally renowned journal (peer-reviewed) as first author no more than two calendar years prior to the application
- Dissertation (completed or due for submission shortly)
- Description of how the work meets sustainability criteria in accordance with the DFG sustainability guidelines “Experiments / Field trials / Surveys”
Please also note the general rules for the awarding of prizes and scholarships.
2026 Award Winners
The following candidates have been awarded the DGG Science Prize since 1986
Annual Conference, Frankfurt am Main, 2026
PD Dr Nikolaos Konstantinou (Munich)
Project: Outcomes following revascularisation for acute lower limb ischaemia using
contemporary endovascular, hybrid, or open surgical techniques in a multicentre,
retrospective cohort: The Acute Lower Limb Ischaemia Vascular Outcomes Evaluation
(ALIVE) Registry
Tri-national Conference 2025
Dr Moritz Wegner (Cologne)
Project: The Characterisation of Polymers That Mimic the Aortic Wall’s Mechanical Properties and
Their Suitability for Use in the 3D Printing of Aortic Phantoms
Annual Conference, Karlsruhe 2024
Dr Joscha Mulorz (Düsseldorf)
Project: E-cigarette exposure accelerates the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms in mice: the role of Chil1
Annual Conference, Osnabrück 2023
Dr Panagiotis Doukas (Aachen)
Project: Onset of adverse abdominal events due to intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion injury following aortic cross-clamping is associated with elevated serum HSP70 levels in the early postoperative phase
Tri-national Conference, Vienna 2022
Dr Johannes Hatzl, MD (Heidelberg)
Project: Application of mixed reality in vascular surgery
Annual Conference, Mannheim 2021
Dr Angelos Karlas (Munich)
Project: Multispectral optoacoustic tomography of lipid and haemoglobin contrast in human carotid atherosclerosis
Digital Annual Conference 2020
Dr Alexandra Gratl
, MD Project: Regeneration of mitochondrial function in the gastrocnemius muscle in peripheral arterial disease following successful revascularisation
Mannheim Annual Conference 2019
Dr med. Christhoph M. Knappich (Augsburg)
Project: The significance of secondary data analysis from statutory quality assurance for identifying predictive risk factors in the context of carotid surgery
Annual Conference, Bonn 2018
Dr Ulrich Rother (Erlangen)
Project: Dosing of indocyanine green for intraoperative laser fluorescence angiography in kidney transplantation.
Annual Conference, Frankfurt am Main 2017
Dr Claudia Schrimpf (Hanover)
Project: TIMP3 is regulated by pericytes upon detection of shear stress, leading to a modified endothelial cell response.
Three-Country Conference, Bern 2016
Dr Alexander Meyer (Erlangen)
Project: Results of combined vascular reconstruction using AV loops and free flap transfer in patients with soft tissue defects.
Annual Conference, Münster 2015
PD Dr Theodosios Bisdas (Münster)
Project: Current practice of first-line treatment strategies in patients with critical limb ischaemia (Critisch Registry)
Annual Conference, Hamburg 2014
Dr Sarah Geisbüsch (Munich)
Project: Endovascular coil embolisation of segmental arteries prevents paraplegia following subsequent TAAA repair – an experimental model
Tri-national Conference, Linz 2013
: PD Dr Christian Reeps (Munich)
Project: Measuring and modelling patient-specific distributions of material properties in the wall of an abdominal aortic aneurysm
Annual Conference, Wiesbaden 2012
Dr Serdar Demirel (Heidelberg)
Project: Cardiovascular and neurohumoral regulatory disturbances following carotid endarterectomy – differences between eversion endarterectomy (E-CEA) and conversional endarterectomy (K-CEA) with patch
Annual Conference, Erlangen 2011
Dr Kerstin Troidl (Frankfurt am Main)
Project: The molecular mechanisms of arteriogenesis
Three-Country Conference, Berlin 2010
Dr Andreas Kühnl, MD (Munich)
Project: The C-type natriuretic peptide and its receptors in human atherosclerotic plaques of the carotid artery
Annual Conference, Munich 2009
Dr med. Konstantinos Donas (Münster)
Project: The role of stent-optimised angioplasty in the treatment of vascular claudication of the gluteal muscles
Annual Conference, Dresden 2008
Dr Irene Hinterseher (Dresden)
Project: Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) polymorphisms in a Caucasian population with abdominal aortic aneurysms
Three-Country Conference, Basel 2007
: PD Dr Thomas Koeppel (Aachen)
Project: The influence of vitamin K antagonists on the arterialised venous wall: the role of calcification factors
Annual Conference, Mülheim 2006
Dr Thomas Aper (Hanover)
Project: Optimisation of the colonisation of a newly developed scaffold for the generation of implantable, fully autologous vascular grafts
Three-Country Conference, Innsbruck 2004
Dr Axel Larena-Avellaneda, MD (Würzburg)
Project: Development of a multifunctional vascular prosthesis – from silicone coating to a ‘drug-releasing graft’
Annual Conference, Ulm 2003
Dr Jörg Heckenkamp (Cologne)
Project: Modulation of human fibroblast function by vascular photodynamic therapy of the collagen matrix. New molecular insights into radical-mediated inhibition of restenosis
Dr Tomas Pfeiffer (Düsseldorf)
Project: Lipoplex gene transfer of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibits reactive intimal hyperplasia of the arterial wall at alloplastic bypass anastomoses
Annual Conference, Würzburg 2002
Dr Oliver Schmidt, MD (Erlangen)
Project: Heparin sulphate chains of perlecan suppress platelet-derived growth factor-BB-induced proliferation and migration in vascular smooth muscle cells: possible role of basic fibroblast growth factor
Annual Conference, Hamburg 2001
Dr Michael Gawenda (Cologne)
Project: Intra-aneurysmal pressure – the ‘Holy Grail’ of endoluminal repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms – the significance of endoluminal pressure measurement in endovascular and conventional treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms
Annual Conference, Nuremberg
2000 – Dr Christina Tremmel-Lehnert (Stuttgart)
Project: Investigations into the optimisation of a
carotid stent graft – Dr Farzin Adili (Frankfurt)
Project: Novel insights into the pathogenesis of anastomotic intimal hyperplasia in experimental vein grafts
Annual Conference, Friedrichshafen 1999
– PD Dr Hans-Henning Eckstein (Ludwigsburg)
Project: Validity of the quantification of carotid stenoses in Doppler and duplex sonography compared with carotid specimens and selective angiography
Annual Conference, Lausanne
1998 – Dr Richard Brandl (Munich)
Project: Immunocytochemical predictors of carotid restenosis in primary plaque tissue –
Dr Gunnar Riepe: Frame dislocation of body middle rings in endovascular stent tube grafts
Annual Conference, Heidelberg 1997
– Dr Gerhard Hoffmann (Friedrichshafen)
Project: Combined laser-Doppler-flowmetry and transcutaneous oxygen partial pressure measurement for the quantitative assessment of cutaneous microcirculation following surgical sympathectomy or CT-guided pharmacological sympathicolysis in patients with stage III and IV peripheral arterial occlusive disease according to Fontaine
Annual Conference, Munich 1996
Dr Matthias Lindenmeier, MD (Munich)
Project: Measurements of CO₂ reserve capacity using TCD and HMPAO-SPECT in patients with severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery – a perioperative study
Annual Conference, Salzburg 1995
PD Dr Thomas Schmitz-Rixen (Cologne)
Project: Allogeneic arterial transplantation – results following immunosuppression and cryopreservation, with particular consideration of the biomechanics of the vessel wall
Heidelberg Annual Conference 1993
Dr Martin Storck (Ulm)
Project: Medium-term resorbable and non-resorbable suture material for arterial anastomoses – histomorphological comparative studies
Annual Conference, Dresden 1992
, PD Dr Helmut Kogel (Ulm)
Project: Healing behaviour of artificial blood vessels for the replacement of large-calibre veins and small-calibre arteries
Annual Conference, Augsburg 1991
Dr Thomas Hupp, MD (Heidelberg)
Project: Renovascular hypertension – predicting surgical success using exercise renography
Annual Conference, Hamburg 1990
Dr Peter Zilla (Vienna)
Project: The confluent pre-coating of arterial vascular prostheses with cultured autologous endothelial cells: a pre-clinical comparative study using a primate model
Annual Conference, Salzburg 188
Dr Klaus Grabitz (Düsseldorf)
Project: The effect of prostaglandin E and superoxide dismutase on the ischaemia tolerance time of the spinal cord
Annual Conference, Munich 1987
Dr Giovanni Torsello (Düsseldorf)
Project: The use of absorbable and non-absorbable suture material in an animal model – comparative studies on infected and growing vascular anastomoses
Annual Conference, Düsseldorf 1986
Dr Georg Kretschmer (Vienna)
Project: The influence of anticoagulant treatment on the prevention of graft occlusion following saphenous vein bypass for femoropopliteal occlusive disease