José Pedro Friedmann Angeli Awarded the Deutscher Krebspreis 2026

Professor José Pedro Friedmann Angeli (University of Würzburg) has been awarded the Deutscher Krebspreis 2026 in the category Experimental Research together with Professor Marcus Conrad (Helmholtz Munich). The award recognizes their pioneering contributions to the discovery and characterization of ferroptosis, a distinct form of regulated cell death that has emerged as a promising target for cancer therapy.

The two researchers have played a key role in uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis, a process triggered by iron-dependent oxidative damage to cellular membranes. Their collaborative work has identified critical factors that determine whether tumor cells are vulnerable to ferroptosis or able to protect themselves from this form of cell death.

Building on these fundamental discoveries, Friedmann Angeli and Conrad have developed compounds that harness ferroptosis for therapeutic purposes. Preclinical studies in mouse models have demonstrated that activating this cell death pathway can inhibit tumor growth and prevent the formation of metastases.

Because many aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers are particularly sensitive to ferroptosis, the researchers’ findings have opened new avenues for the development of innovative cancer therapies.