Broermann Medical Innovation Award Honors Pioneers in Cancer Therapy
Giessen, September 18, 2025 – The Broermann Medical Innovation Award (BMIA) jury has recognized the groundbreaking research of Dr. Carl June from the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Michel Sadelain from Columbia University in the field of CAR-T cell therapy. The award, presented for the first time this year, is among the most highly endowed medical awards in the world, with a prize money of one million euros.
Revolutionary Cancer Treatment
Dr. June and Dr. Sadelain have been honored for their pioneering work in the genetic modification of T-cells, which allows these cells to identify, attack, and destroy cancer cells. Through the use of synthetic receptors, known as chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), T-cells can now recognize and eliminate cancer cells. This approach has shown remarkable success rates in treating leukemia, lymphomas, and myelomas, while still in the experimental phase for other cancers.
Dr. Carl June, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, expressed his gratitude for receiving the inaugural Broermann Medical Innovation Award with his esteemed colleague, Dr. Sadelain. He acknowledged the award as a recognition of their decades of research and the transformative potential of CAR-T cell therapy for cancer patients worldwide.
Dr. Michel Sadelain, Director of the Columbia Initiative in Cell Engineering and Therapy (CICET), also expressed his appreciation for the honor. He highlighted the revolutionary power of CAR-T cell therapy and its ability to turn the immune system into a precise weapon against cancer. He also noted that their research symbolizes the values of the Broermann Award – medical breakthroughs that fundamentally change patients’ lives and bring hope to those once considered incurable.
Selection Process by Renowned Jury
The BMIA laureates are selected by a distinguished scientific jury, consisting of nine senior members of renowned institutes. The committee evaluates all nominations in a multi-stage process, ensuring the highest scientific quality and independence. The decision is based on strict selection criteria. This year’s jury includes Prof. Dr. Werner Seeger (Chair of the Broermann Medical Innovation Award), Prof. Dr. Karsten Krüger (Member of the Executive Board of Justus Liebig University Giessen), Prof. Dr. Isabelle Bekeredjian-Ding (Director Center of Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, University of Marburg), Prof. Dr. Britta Siegmund (Vice President of the German Research Foundation), Prof. Dr. Stefan Offermanns (Director of the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research), Prof. Dr. Otmar Wiestler (President of the Helmholtz Association), Prof. Dr. Dr. Gerd Geißlinger (Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Clinical Pharmacology), Prof. Dr. Martina Brockmeier (President of the Leibniz Association), and Dr. Jan Liersch (Managing Director of Broermann Holding GmbH).
About the Laureates
Dr. Carl June was born in Denver, USA, in 1953 and received his MD from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He founded the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies (CCI) at the University of Pennsylvania in 1999 and established a leading interdisciplinary research initiative for cellular immunotherapies. Dr. Michel Sadelain, born in Paris, France in 1960, received his medical degree from the University of Paris in 1984 and his PhD from the University of Alberta, Canada in 1989. He now serves as director of the Columbia Initiative in Cell Engineering and Therapy (CICET) center in New York, where he leads innovative cell therapy research.
About the Broermann Medical Innovation Award
The Broermann Medical Innovation Award was established in 2024 by Dr. Bernard große Broermann, founder of the Asklepios Kliniken Group. The award carries forward his vision of creating an innovative healthcare company that delivers real value to people. With a record prize of one million euros, the award is presented in a formal ceremony at the Hessian State Chancellery in Wiesbaden by the current Hessian Prime Minister, Boris Rhein.
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