Boehringer Ingelheim presets FENS Award to Hungarian neuroscientist

Boehringer Ingelheim has named Judit Makara as the winner of its biannual FENS Research Award, which honours outstanding research by young scientists in the field of neuroscience.

Dr Makara, from the Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest, has performed groundbreaking work highlighting mechanisms that determine individual nerve cell and neuronal circuits responses to internal and external environmental changes.

Using cutting-edge two-photon microscopy and imaging, electrophysiology and optogenetic techniques, she was able to identify underlying dendritic mechanisms determining the response of neurons to patterns of stimulated nerve connections, allowing her to identify key activity patterns.

This is the seventh time this award has been presented, underlining the company's commitment to supporting the work of young neuroscientists worldwide.

Bernd Sommer, vice-president of neuroscience research at Boehringer Ingelheim, said: "Judit Makara's work could contribute to revolutionising our understanding of the complexities of the human brain and propel forward medical developments."

Last week, the firm announced it has filed for EU regulatory approval of a new combination therapy for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which has shown promise in clinical trials.