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The North German Society for Gastroenterology (NDGG) honored two outstanding dissertations. Carlos Oltmanns received first place and a cash prize of €1,000; Dr. Katja Dinkelborg, PhD, was awarded second place and a cash prize of €500.
Carlos Oltmanns impressed the jury with his dissertation titled “Evaluation and Identification of New Biomarkers for Individualized Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Following Chronic Hepatitis C.” His work highlights both the challenges in developing and validating new biomarkers and the potential of innovative approaches, particularly in the areas of epigenetic changes and biological age.
Dr. Katja Dinkelborg, PhD, was also recognized for her scientific work and celebrated another significant achievement. On March 18, 2026, she was awarded the DZIF Doctoral Prize by the Society for Virology, which comes with a cash prize of €1,500. The prize is one of the most prestigious awards for outstanding dissertations in the field of virological infection research.
In her dissertation, “Identification and characterization of human monoclonal antibodies neutralizing the hepatitis E virus,” Dr. Dinkelborg investigated the identification and characterization of neutralizing antibodies against the hepatitis E virus. Her research contributes significantly to a better understanding of the immune response and opens up new perspectives for the diagnosis and treatment of viral infections.
These multiple awards underscore the high scientific quality of clinical research at our Clinical Department. We warmly congratulate Dr. Katja Dinkelborg, PhD, and Carlos Oltmanns on these outstanding achievements and are delighted by their important contribution to the further development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.