Kirsten Peter Rabitsch Award 2014 for Elif Eroglu

On October 2, leading up to the second day of the annual “IMP-IMBA Recess”, this year’s Kirsten Peter Rabitsch Award was presented to Elif Eroglu, a former PhD-Student at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, IMBA.

Elif joined Jürgen Knoblich’s group at IMBA in 2009 and obtained her doctoral degree earlier this year. For her thesis, she studied the chromatin-remodeling complex SWI/SNF that is frequently mutated in human tumors. Using fruit flies with induced brain tumors as a model, Elif was able to demonstrate the mechanism by which mutations in SWI/SNF result in lineage reversion and ultimately tumor formation.

“For the past six years, I have always looked forward to the announcement of the Rabitsch Award as the highlight of the recess”, Elif says. “It is such an honor for me to have been chosen as the recipient this year, I am very grateful to the sponsors.”

The award was installed in 2006 after the tragic death of Kirsten Peter Rabitsch who had just completed his PhD at the IMP. Kirsten was a gifted young scientist whose memory is kept alive and honored by the award. The prize, which is worth two thousand Euros, is sponsored by the IMP and by Kirsten’s parents. It is awarded annually for the most outstanding discovery of a PhD-Student at either the IMP or IMBA and traditionally presented by Hermann Rabitsch, Kirsten’s father.

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