23.3.2021

Prestigious award to Guest Professor at ÅAU

Prof. Luisa Torsi is the winner of the Wilhelm Exner Medal 2021. Torsi is Professor of Chemistry at the University of Bari Aldo Moro in Italy, and Adjunct Professor at Åbo Akademi University’s research profile Technologies for a Sustainable Future. Prof. Katalin Karikó, Senior Vice President of BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals and Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, will also be awarded.

Luisa Torsi receives the award for her research on bioelectronic transistor systems capable of detecting a single protein marker or a single virus in real, non-pretreated samples of blood or saliva. The prospect is the development of ultra-sensitive, fast (15 minutes), low-cost and highly reliable diagnostic systems for ultra-early screening of progressive diseases such as tumors or infections including COVID-19.

The Wilhelm Exner Medal medal has been awarded since 1921 by the Austrian Association for SME to celebrate excellence in research and science. It is awarded to scientists who have made an impact on business and industry through their scientific achievements and contributions. Since the Wilhelm Exner Medal was established, over 230 inventors, researchers and scientists have been awarded, including 21 Nobel Laureates.

Luisa Torsi will be awarded in Vienna on November 24th, 2021 at the presence of the Minister of Science and Research Heinz Fassmann and of the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen.

More info about the award: https://www.wilhelmexner.org/en/