Ulrich Hagen Prize for GSI/FAIR scientist Michael Scholz honors achievements in biological radiation research
13.10.2025 |
GSI/FAIR scientist Privatdozent Dr. Michael Scholz received the Ulrich Hagen Prize for his contributions to radiation research at this year's annual conference of the German Society for Biological Radiation Research (DeGBS) in Munich. The prize is awarded for outstanding achievements in German radiation research – typically for lifetime achievement.
Physicist Scholz worked at GSI/FAIR from 1987 until his retirement in 2024. He dedicated his career to quantifying the effects of ion radiation, particularly with regard to its use in tumor therapy. Since ions release their energy in a highly concentrated manner as they pass through cells and tissue, they cause damage with greater density and complexity. Ion radiation thus produces cell damage more effectively than, for example, X-rays.
In his early work, Scholz conducted biological experiments to investigate cell division delays after irradiation, finding that ion irradiation leads to more pronounced delays than conventional X-rays. This is analogous to the higher efficacy observed in cell killing, which must also be taken into account in tumor therapy with ion beams. It is crucial that patients receive a radiation dose that reliably inactivates the tumor cells without excessively damaging the surrounding healthy tissue.
Scholz developed a mathematical model to determine the increased effectiveness. The scientists already used the method in the pilot project for tumor therapy at GSI, where between 1997 and 2008 more than 440 cancer patients were treated with carbon ions. To date, the method has been used in clinics in Germany, Austria, Italy, and China to treat approximately 18,000 patients.
In a later phase of his career, Scholz and his working group at GSI/FAIR devoted themselves to expanding and optimizing the model calculations on the basis of a more detailed characterization of radiation damage at the molecular level. This demonstrated that a uniform concept can be used to correctly describe a wide range of radiation biology effects following both ion irradiation and conventional photon irradiation. These model calculations are still the subject of ongoing research projects.
By awarding the prize, the DeGBS recognizes the significance of Scholz’s research and the span of his work, which ranges from radiation-induced cancer to DNA repair and clinical applications. In the research community, Scholz is regarded as an open-minded and brilliant communicator between different disciplines in a highly interdisciplinary field of research, as well as a sensitive mentor for young scientists. Scholz has been retired since 2024 and now devotes more time to his passions outside of science, including music and astrophotography.
The Ulrich Hagen Prize of the DeGBS has been awarded since 2004 to scientists for outstanding achievements to radiation research in Germany, usually in honor of a lifetime's work. The prize is named after Professor Dr. Dr. Ulrich Hagen (1925–2007), the pioneer of molecular radiation biology. The DeGBS is an interdisciplinary professional society dedicated to research into the effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation on cells and tissues. (CP)
