Dr. Pekayvaz, who is a junior research group leader at the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), leads a junior research group supported by the German Center for Cardiovascular Research at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).
During his education at LMU, Pekayvaz also conducted research at the University of Oxford with the support of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung). He received his doctoral degree with an experimental thesis in the field of cardiology.
The award committee reviewed the work of 156 researchers for the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize. The committee deemed 10 scientists, including Pekayvaz, worthy of the award. Along with the award, which is considered the most prestigious distinction given to early-career researchers in Germany, Pekayvaz also received a financial contribution of 200,000 Euros, which he can use for up to three years in his subsequent research activities.
The award was presented to Pekayvaz on June 11 in Berlin. The selection of the researcher to receive the award was made by the relevant committee chaired by DFG Vice President and biochemist Professor Dr. Peter H. Seeberger. The committee emphasized that Pekayvaz examines the direct connection between stress and immune cells and its effect on thrombosis (clot) formation in cardiovascular diseases, and that his research is highly promising for the future.
Also pointing out that Pekayvaz is a clinician-scientist, the award committee noted that he always directly links the treatment experiences he gains with acute cardiovascular patients to his basic research, and that he leads a junior research group at LMU. The committee stated that Pekayvaz's articles in academic journals and his awards also bear testament to his work.
