Recognizing Boundary-Breakers

Science Awards

With our prestigious awards we honor established scientists for their longtime research achievements as well as outstanding emerging talents.

Otto Bayer & Hansen Family Award

What are the Otto Bayer & Hansen Family Award?

Every other year, the Otto Bayer Award recognizes distinguished scientists for their outstanding research contributions in chemistry and biochemistry, while the Hansen Family Award celebrates groundbreaking research in medical sciences and related fields.

The establishment of these awards stems from generous provisions in the will of Otto Bayer, former director of research at Bayer, and Kurt Hansen, previous Chairman of the Board & Supervisory Board at Bayer.

Who can be nominated?

Internationally renowned scientists working in German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria or Switzerland).

What is the process for nominations?

Self-nominations are not considered.
Candidates for the award are nominated by senior members of renowned scientific institutions worldwide or by eminent scientific leaders within Bayer.
Contact us at bayer.foundation@bayer.com if you want to be part of the nominating group.

What is the prize?

The laureate receives a cash prize of 75,000 €.
Award winners is granted a platform to showcase their achievements.

Who selects the winners of these awards?

The winners are chosen by an panel of external scientific experts, the Bayer Foundation Science Council.

Find out more about latest award winners in our News section and our previous award winners here.

What are the Early Excellence in Science Awards?

Our annual Early Excellence in Science Awards honor emerging talents for their remarkable contributions across four fields: biology, chemistry, medical science, and data science.

Who can be nominated?

Exceptional early career scientists, who have demonstrated excellence and earned their PhD or MD no more than seven years ago*
Nominations from across the world are encouraged.

*Any time taken for parental leave or other exceptional circumstances does not count towards the seven-year period.

What is the process for nominations?

Self-nominations are not considered.
Candidates for the award are nominated by senior members of renowned scientific institutions worldwide or by eminent scientific leaders within Bayer.
Contact us at bayer.foundation@bayer.com if you want to be part of the nominating group.

What is the prize?

The recipients of these awards are granted a cash prize of €10,000.

Who selects the winners of these awards?

The winners are selected by an independent panel of scientific experts, the Bayer Foundation Science Council.

Find out more about latest award winners in our News section and our previous award winners here.

What is the Bayer Thrombosis Research Award?

Every other year this award recognizes early-career researchers for their exceptional accomplishments in either basic or clinical thrombosis research. The award was established thanks to the generosity of the former Bayer scientists Dr. Frank Misselwitz, Dr. Dagmar Kubitza and Dr. Elizabeth Perzborn honored with the German Future Prize ("Deutscher Zukunftspreis des Bundespräsidenten") for their invention on the anticoagulant Xarelto^®.

Who can be nominated?

Outstanding early-career scientists based in German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria or Switzerland) are eligible if they:
Possess a proven track record of excellence
Have completed their PhD or MD no more than five years ago*.
Demonstrate exceptional achievements in basic or clinical research related to thrombosis, particularly focusing on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of thromboembolic diseases, including epidemiology and health policy approaches.

*The five-year period does not include time taken for parental leave or other exceptional circumstances.

What is the process for nominations?

Self-nominations are not considered.
Candidates for the award are nominated by senior members of esteemed scientific institutions or by scientific leaders within Bayer's research and development.
Contact us at bayer.foundation@bayer.com if you want to be part of the nominating group.

What is the prize?

This recognition includes a prize of €30,000.

Who selects the winners of these awards?

The winners are selected by a panel of Bayer internal and external experts in the field.

Find out more about our previous award winners here.

Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker Award

What is the Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker Award?

The award honors individuals who advocate for science and the scientific method with courage and responsibility. It recognizes engagement in evidence-based scientific discussions across public, political, industrial, or educational settings.

Awardees may be acknowledged for:

Advocating for science in public or policy discussions
Effectively addressing incorrect scientific communication or decision making
Driving evidence-based policy decision making (political, industrial, educational)
Engaging society on important scientific yet controversial scientific topics
Fostering constructive dialogue about science
Promoting of science in challenging environments

Who can be nominated?

Anyone with significant contributions to science in German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria or Switzerland) who is still professionally active in science/science management.

What is the process for nominations?

Self-nominations are not considered.
Nomination by leading voices in science across German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria or Switzerland).
Contact us at bayer.foundation@bayer.com if you want to be part of the nominating group.

What is the prize?

Awardees will receive:

a cash prize of 3,000 €.
and the option to receive up to 10,000 € of additional funding for projects that further enhance the impact of science for the benefit of society.

Who selects the winners of these awards?

The winners are chosen by an impartial Selection Committee and selected guests.

Virchow Prize for Global Health

What is the Virchow Prize for Global Health?

Bayer Foundation provides financial support for this award, created by the Virchow Foundation, to honor significant contributions to global health through lifetime achievements and long-standing engagement. More details can be found on the Virchow Foundation Website itself.