Politics and Science: Creating added value through targeted dialogue

Marcel Tanner Awards Ceremony
2023 Award from the D. J. E. Brandenberger Foundation
“Politics and Science: Creating Added Value Through Meaningful Dialogue”

(Bern) (PPS) Dr. Foundation Every year, JE Brandenberger awards the winner a prize of 200,000 Swiss francs and wants to honor personalities who have committed themselves to promoting and preserving human culture.
The 2023 Prize was awarded to Professor Marcel Tanner, whose work has enabled a targeted dialogue between politics and science and thus to find useful solutions to improve people’s living conditions.

Marcel Tanner completed his studies in biology at the University of Basel in 1979 with his thesis on African sleeping sickness. Two years later, he took over the field laboratory of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH).

Tanzania, which he continually expanded with local partners to become a Tanzanian Institute of Research and Public Health. After returning to Basel and after studying public health in London, he was given the task of establishing the Department of “Health Care and Epidemiology”.

Marcel Tanner has promoted research and development from innovation to validation of scientific results to their implementation in numerous health systems. Under his leadership as Director (since 1997), the Swiss TPH Institute has developed into an internationally recognized institute for global health. Marcel Tanner and his team played a key role in the development of vaccines against malaria and so-called public-private partnerships, which initiated and encouraged the development of new treatments against diseases of poverty. Marcel Tanner was a full professor at the University of Basel, where he was also Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Natural Sciences and President of the Swiss Academies of Sciences.

To this day, he provides his expertise to many national and international committees.

“Residents have the right to have complex models explained to them. To do this, it particularly needs scholars who not only create knowledge in universities, but also understanding across populations and context in the media. Marcel Tanner did just that» Federal Chancellor Walter Thornhair said in his laudatory speech.

The winner confirmed in his speech that he had been guided by the slogan “No roots, no fruits” throughout his life. Only those who know where they come from know where they are going!

“The Prize Committee – chaired by Fritz Schesser – and the entire Board of Trustees are pleased to award the Marcel Tanner Prize 2023 from the Dr. Foundation. J.E. Brandenberger will be honored“The Foundation’s Board of Directors Chairwoman Monica Duca Widmer says, “Because he He added: “Thanks to his committed humanitarian work and his long-term commitment to dialogue and cooperation between politics and science, he has contributed to improving the living conditions of many people.”

This is the thirty-third time this prestigious award has been given. Irma Marthe Brandenberger created a memorial to her father, Dr. J.E. Brandenberger, inventor of cellophane, established the foundation and set the goal of honoring people who have made outstanding contributions to improving the living conditions of people. Regardless of gender, sectarian or political beliefs, achievements in the fields of natural sciences, humanities, social work, and the promotion and preservation of human culture should be honored.

The award ceremony was held on 25 November 2023 in Bern.

For questions: Monika Duka Widmer, [email protected], mobile: 079 337 01 19