---
title: "Leibniz Prize"
chunk: 1/5
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leibniz_Prize"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:09:50.164987+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (German: Förderpreis für deutsche Wissenschaftler im Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Programm der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft), or Leibniz Prize, is awarded by the German Research Foundation to "exceptional scientists and academics for their outstanding achievements in the field of research". Since 1986, up to ten prizes have been awarded annually to individuals or research groups working at a research institution in Germany or at a German research institution abroad. It is considered the most important research award in Germany.
The prize is named after the German polymath and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716). It is one of the highest endowed research prizes in Germany with a maximum of €2.5 million per award. Past prize winners include
Stefan Hell (2008), Gerd Faltings (1996), Peter Gruss (1994), Svante Pääbo (1992), Theodor W. Hänsch (1989), Erwin Neher (1987), Bert Sakmann (1987), Jürgen Habermas (1986), Hartmut Michel (1986), and Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard (1986).

== Prizewinners ==

=== 2020–2029 ===

2026:

Klaus Blaum – Experimental Physics, Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg
Christian Doeller – Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig
Christian Hasse – Energy Process Technology, Technische Universität Darmstadt
Johannes Krause – Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig
Julia Mahamid – Structural Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg
Klaus-Robert Müller – Machine Learning, Technische Universität Berlin
Frank Pollmann – Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics, Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Armido Studer – Organic Molecular Chemistry, University of Münster
Barbara Vetter – Theoretical Philosophy, Free University of Berlin
Cornelia Zumbusch – Modern German Literature, University of Hamburg
2025:

Volker Haucke – Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, Berlin
Hannes Leitgeb – Theoretical Philosophy, LMU Munich
Bettina Valeska Lotsch – Solid State and Materials Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart
Wolfram Pernice – Experimental Physics, Heidelberg University
Ana Pombo – Genome Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin
Daniel Rueckert – Artificial Intelligence, Technical University of Munich
Angkana Rüland – Applied Mathematics, University of Bonn
Michael Seewald – Catholic Theology, University of Münster
Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla – Epigenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München
Robert Zeiser – Hemato-Oncology, University Medical Center Freiburg
2024:

Dmitri Efetov – Experimental Solid State Physics, LMU Munich
Tobias J. Erb – Synthetic Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, and Marburg University
Jonas Grethlein – Classical Philology, Heidelberg University
Moritz Helmstaedter – Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main
Ulrike Herzschuh – Geoecology, Alfred Wegener Institute, Potsdam, and University of Potsdam
Eike Kiltz – Cryptography, Ruhr University Bochum
Rohini Kuner – Neuropharmacology, Heidelberg University
Jörn Leonhard – Modern and Contemporary History, University of Freiburg
Peter Schreiner – Organic Molecular Chemistry, University of Giessen
Eva Viehmann – Mathematics, University of Münster
2023:

Lars T. Angenent – Bioengineering, University of Tübingen
Claudia Höbartner – Biological Chemistry, University of Würzburg
Achim Menges – Architecture, University of Stuttgart
Sarah O'Connor – Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena
Stefan Pfister – Paediatric Oncology, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University
Hartmut Rosa – Sociology, University of Jena and University of Erfurt
Georg Schett – Rheumatology, University of Erlangen–Nuremberg
Catharina Stroppel – Pure Mathematics, University of Bonn
Fabian Theis – Bio- and Medical Informatics, Helmholtz Zentrum München and Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Anita Traninger – Romance Literary Studies, Free University of Berlin
2022:

Almut Arneth – Ecosystem Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Marietta Auer – Law, Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Philosophy, Frankfurt am Main
Iain Couzin – Behavioral Biology, Konstanz
Eileen Furlong – Functional Genomics, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)
Peter Hommelhoff – Experimental Physics, University of Erlangen–Nuremberg
Stefanie Dehnen – Inorganic Molecular Chemistry, Marburg University
Gabriel Martínez-Pinedo – Theoretical Physics, GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research and Technische Universität Darmstadt
Mischa Meier – Ancient History, University of Tübingen
Karen Radner – Ancient Near Eastern Studies, LMU Munich
Moritz Schularick – Economics, University of Bonn
2021:

Asifa Akhtar – Epigenetics, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg
Elisabeth André – Computer Science, University of Augsburg
Giuseppe Caire – Theoretical Communications Engineering, Technische Universität Berlin
Nico Eisenhauer – Biodiversity Research, Leipzig University
Veronika Eyring – Earth System Modelling, German Aerospace Center, Oberpfaffenhofen and University of Bremen
Katerina Harvati – Palaeoanthropology, University of Tübingen and Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Tübingen
Steffen Mau – Sociology, Humboldt University of Berlin
Rolf Müller – Pharmaceutical Biology, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and Saarland University
Jürgen Ruland – Immunology, Rechts der Isar Hospital, Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Volker Springel – Astrophysics, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Garching bei München
2020:

Thorsten Bach – Chemistry, Technical University of Munich
Baptiste Jean Germain Gault – Materials Science, Max Planck Institute for Iron Research
Johannes Grave – Art History, University of Jena
Thomas Kaufmann – Evangelical Theology, University of Göttingen
Andrea Musacchio – Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology
Thomas Neumann – Computer Science, Technical University of Munich
Marco Prinz – Neuropathology, University of Freiburg
Markus Reichstein – Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Dagmar Schäfer – History of Science, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science
Juliane Vogel – Literature, University of Konstanz

=== 2019–2010 ===

2019:

Sami Haddadin – Robotics, Technical University of Munich
Rupert Huber – Experimental physics, University of Regensburg
Andreas Reckwitz – Sociology, European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder)
Hans-Reimer Rodewald – Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg
Melina Schuh – Cell biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (Karl Friedrich Bonhoeffer Institute), Göttingen
Brenda Schulman – Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (MPIB), Martinsried
Ayelet Shachar – Law and Political science, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Göttingen
Michèle Tertilt – Economics, University of Mannheim
Wolfgang Wernsdorfer – experimental Solid-state physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Matthias Wessling – Chemical reaction engineering, RWTH Aachen University and Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien (DWI), Aachen
2018: