Johannes Karges

Johannes Karges, a chemist at Ruhr University Bochum, received the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Early Career Award 2024 for his groundbreaking work on targeted cancer therapies using platinum-based chemotherapeutics activated by light or ultrasound. His research focuses on developing nanoparticles that selectively accumulate in tumor tissue and release cytotoxic agents upon external stimulation, aiming to reduce systemic side effects of conventional chemotherapy.

• Education: Chemistry at Philipps-Universität Marburg and Imperial College London; PhD in Bioinorganic Chemistry at École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris and Sun Yat-Sen University.
• Positions: Postdoctoral researcher at University of California, San Diego (2020–2022); Liebig Fellow at Ruhr University Bochum (2022–present).

Research Highlights: Developed two nanoparticle systems for tumor-specific drug activation: one using red light-triggered photosensitizers and another utilizing ultrasound-responsive hemoglobin-based sonosensitizers. Validated both approaches in cell cultures and mouse models, demonstrating significant tumor reduction.

Scientific Awards:

• Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Early Career Award 2024