Cothenius Medal Awarded to Regine Kahmann
The National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina honors the Director emerita at the Max Planck Institute and professor at the University of Marburg for her lifetime achievements
Prof. Dr. Regine Kahmann investigated infection strategies of viruses and fungi that enable them to infect bacterial or plant hosts. Her research on proteins determining the virulence of the smut fungus Ustilago maydis forms the basis for new approaches to combat plant diseases. For her outstanding scientific achievements, the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina awards Regine Kahmann the Cothenius Medal. The honor will be conferred during the Leopoldina Annual Assembly on Thursday, September 24, 2026, in Halle (Saale).
Leopoldina Honors Pioneering Research on Plant Pathogens
Regine Kahmann studied the mechanisms by which fungi infect plants and trigger diseases. Using smut fungi, which affect important crop plants, she demonstrated that their pathogenic development is regulated by a combinatorial control of transcription factors. Later, she shifted her research focus to the extensive repertoire of previously unknown fungal effector proteins and how these effectors suppress the plant's immune defenses and manipulate the plant's metabolism to promote fungal growth.
The fungus Ustilago maydis causes corn smut, a disease in which maize plants develop large tumors, leading to significant yield losses. Regine Kahmann and her team identified a group of fungal effector proteins, each essential for virulence and suppression of the host immune response. These proteins act collectively and are likely involved in translocating fungal effectors into plant cells. This complex represents a promising target for developing agrochemicals and controlling fungal plant diseases.
Karriere und Auszeichnungen
Regine Kahmann earned her doctorate at the Free University of Berlin. Her research took her to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island. After a professorship in genetics at Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, she joined the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg in 2000 as director of the Department of Organismic Interactions. From 2001 to 2019, she concurrently held a professorship in genetics at Philipps-University Marburg. Throughout her scientific career, she received numerous awards, including an honorary doctorate from the Hebrew University, the Mendel Medal of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Leibniz Prize. In 2020, she was elected foreign member of the British Royal Society, and in 2021, she was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences.
Über die Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften Leopoldina
As Germany’s National Academy of Sciences, the Leopoldina provides independent, science-based policy advice on issues of societal relevance. The Academy develops interdisciplinary position papers grounded in scientific findings. These publications outline possible courses of action, while decision-making authority remains with democratically legitimized political institutions. The experts authoring these papers do so voluntarily and with an open-minded approach. The Leopoldina represents German science in international forums, including science-based advisory processes for the annual G7 and G20 summits. It comprises approximately 1,700 members from over 30 countries and integrates expertise from nearly all research disciplines. Founded in 1652, it was designated Germany’s National Academy of Sciences in 2008. Link to press release
