Katharina Landfester receives Liebig Medal of the German Chemical Society

Award for her developments in the field of organic polymers

Katharina Landfester, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, has been awarded the Liebig Medal of the German Chemical Society (GDCh). This award recognizes her outstanding achievements in the field of organic polymers and in particular her developments in the field of nanocapsules, which can be used both for the targeted administration of drugs and for the construction of artificial cells.

Nanocapsules are “drug capsules” in the range of a billionth of a meter, which could be part of future medical therapies. Active substances can be transported in the body in a targeted manner and “dock” at the right places to develop their effect there.

Katharina Landfester, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, has laid groundbreaking foundations for research into this technology. A significant scientific contribution of her research is miniemulsion polymerization: a method that enables the production of these complex polymer nanoparticles. Landfester has thus redefined the boundaries of polymer chemistry and made a significant contribution to modern polymer research.

Landfester was awarded the Liebig Medal for her work on September 14 at the 133rd Assembly of the Society of German Natural Scientists and Physicians (GDNÄ) in Potsdam. The Liebig Medal, which is endowed with 7,500 euros, is one of the most important awards in the field of chemistry and has been presented to numerous subsequent Nobel Prize winners since it was first awarded in 1903.

Katharina Landfester, born in 1969, has pursued a remarkable scientific career since completing her doctorate in physical chemistry at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. After her habilitation at the University of Potsdam and professorship at the University of Ulm, she returned to Mainz in 2008 as Director at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research.

In addition to her scientific work, Professor Landfester is committed to the chemical community and the interests of the GDCh. Her achievements as a researcher and her commitment to the further development of chemistry are honored by the award of the Liebig Medal.