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Dr. Johannes Zeller from the University Medical Center Freiburg receives award for research on inflammatory processes in aortic valve stenosis / Publication in Circulation Research

Dr. Johannes Zeller, assistant physician in the Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery at Freiburg University Hospital, has been awarded the von Langenbeck Prize 2025 by the German Society of Surgery (DGCH). The award-winning work was published in October 2024 in the journal Circulation Research and provides fundamental insights into the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the development of aortic valve stenosis. The results show that CRP is activated by pathological shear stress and then acts not only as a marker but also as an active driver of inflammatory processes - with possible implications for new therapeutic strategies.

"Dr. Zeller's scientific achievements are impressive proof of how excellent research can pave the way for clinical application," says Prof. Steffen Eisenhardt, Medical Director of the Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery at the Freiburg University Medical Center. "His commitment and his international network are a great asset for our clinic and a strong signal for Freiburg as a research location."

The von Langenbeck Prize is the highest scientific award in the field of surgery in Germany. It is awarded annually for outstanding achievements in surgical research. The award ceremony took place during the President's Reception at the annual congress of the German Society of Surgery on March 25, 2025 in Munich. The prize is endowed with 10,500 euros. Dr. Zeller's award marks the first time since 1981 that the prize has gone to a scientist from Freiburg.

Research with clinical potential

The award-winning study is based on a close and long-standing collaboration with the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia, under the direction of Prof. Karlheinz Peter. A research stay by Dr. Zeller in Melbourne in 2022 was part of this long-term collaboration. "Our research shows that C-reactive protein is much more than a passive inflammatory marker. Under certain biomechanical conditions, i.e. under pathological shear stress, it can be activated and thus have a pro-inflammatory effect. This active form of the protein accelerates the development of aortic stenosis; however, the mechanosensitive property of the C-reactive protein is probably a ubiquitous mechanism with relevance in many vascular disease patterns, the clinical relevance of which could be demonstrated using the example of aortic stenosis," says Dr. Zeller. "Being awarded the von Langenbeck Prize is the greatest honor for me and at the same time an enormous incentive to continue advancing research into inflammation-based diseases."

Link to original publication: 
Shear-Sensing by C-Reactive Protein: Linking Aortic Stenosis and Inflammation
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.324248

Caption: 
Presentation of the von Langenbeck Prize 2025 certificate by the President of the DGCH Prof. Udo Rolle (left) and the Secretary General of the DGCH Prof. Thomas Schmitz-Rixen (right) to Dr. Johannes Zeller (center) at the President's Reception of the German Surgery Congress in Munich in March.

Image source: 
German Society for Surgery e. V. (DGCH)