Award from the German Society for Immunogenetics – Prof. Caner Süsal

German Society for Immunogenetics (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immungenetik – DGI) has awarded TIREX Director Prof. Caner Süsal with the Hans Grosse-Wilde Award in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the field of transplantation immunology.

The research interests of Prof. Süsal, who received many scientific awards and held several leadership positions in the fields of organ transplantation and transplantation immunology, cover all aspects of organ transplantation and transplantation immunology, including transplantation of highly immunized patients, transplantation of organs from expanded criteria donors, induction of unresponsiveness to allografts, pre- and post-transplant risk estimation, matching of organ donor/recipient pairs at epitope level, and identification of biomarkers that reflect the balance between the effector and regulatory components of the alloimmune response.

About TIREX

The Koç University Transplant Immunology Research Centre of Excellence – TIREX, funded by a 2.5 million Euros grant from the Horizon European 2020 Program, was established in 2021 through Türkiye’s first ERA Chair project. The center is based at Koç University Hospital and collaborates closely with the Organ Transplantation Unit. The main purpose of the center is to fully leverage the considerable untapped scientific potential in the field of transplant immunology in Türkiye and surrounding countries, especially in the Balkans and the Middle East. Cutting-edge methods are used to investigate tissue compatibility between the patient and the donor at the center, as well as to perform advanced clinical and experimental research. The emphasis of both current and future projects is to develop diagnostic kits, render transplanted tissues invisible to the immune system of the recipient by genetic engineering, and utilize engineered immune system cells for the therapy of cancer and autoimmune diseases.

About Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immungenetik – DGI

DGI is an organization dedicated to promoting research, education, and communication in the field of immunogenetics in Germany. The society brings together scientists, researchers, and clinicians working in the field of immunogenetics to exchange knowledge, discuss recent advancements, and collaborate on projects related to immunogenetics. It also aims to enhance public awareness and understanding of immunogenetics and its significance in health and disease. The Hans Grosse-Wilde Award is given during the DGI annual conference. The recipient is nominated and chosen by the Board of Directors of DGI and the Executive Board of DGI, respectively, from individuals who have made special contributions in the field of immunogenetics. The recipient is expected to give a speech at the DGI annual conference.

KUTIREX