Kaufmann Hillenkamp Award 2026
of the German Society for Mass Spectrometry
Sponsored by TransMIT GmbH
The German Society for Mass Spectrometry (DGMS) was founded in 1997 as the successor to the Mass Spectrometry Working Group. It supports and promotes mass spectrometry, a highly precise analytical method for the examination of isolated molecules. The DGMS aims to facilitate the scientific exchange among its members and to communicate mass spectrometry-related research. The society has about 700 active members from various backgrounds such as universities, industry, research institutions and government laboratories. Major interests are the development of mass spectrometric devices and their application to analytical as well as fundamental challenges in areas such as chemistry, physics, life science, medicine, geology, and forensics.
DGMS and TransMIT GmbH are jointly endowing the “Kaufmann-Hillenkamp Award for Mass Spectrometry-Based Explorations of Understudied Diseases”. Raimund Kaufmann (1934 – 1997) and Franz Hillenkamp (1936 – 2014) pioneered medical mass spectrometry with the development of the LAMMA technique in the 1970s for microscopically-resolved mass spectrometry of biological tissue and thus laid the foundation for mass spectrometry-assisted biomedical research and modern laser-based mass spectrometry imaging techniques.
The award aims to support two understudied research areas:
- neglected and poverty-related diseases such as parasite and insect-transmitted infections, as well as snakebite envenomations, and
- rare genetic diseases like Friedreich’s ataxia, sickle cell anemia or Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Mass spectrometry is an essential tool in the investigation of such diseases, their pathological mechanisms and possible treatment options. The method with its high specificity, sensitivity, and versatility – with applications ranging from tissue imaging to biomarker identification and single cell omics, significantly contributes to the advancement of these research disciplines.
The prize aims to honor scientists holding a doctoral degree who used and improved methodology and/or instrumentation in mass spectrometry to contribute a major advance in the study of neglected or rare diseases. The call for applications is aimed at scientists who have conducted their work in a European country. The prize may recognize a lifetime achievement but can also be awarded for an outstanding individual accomplishment. Both self-nominations and nominations by others are permitted. In the latter case, a letter of recommendation must be submitted. The informal electronic application, in either English or German, should include a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and a justification for the nomination based on a summary of the applicant’s scientific work. The documents must clearly demonstrate the applicant’s independent scientific achievements. The award decision is made by an independent jury.
The prize comprising 5.000 € will be awarded for the first time at the 57th Annual Meeting of the DGMS, which will take place from 10 to 13 March 2026 in Leipzig. Deadline for applications and nominations is 1st November 2025.
Applications should be submitted by 1st November 2025 to: vorstand@dgms.eu.
