The Otto Bayer Medal
The Otto Bayer Medal recognizes the outstanding achievements of scientists at the Bayer Group. The medal is awarded for successful research contributions to new products, applications and innovative technologies.
The History of the Medal
The Otto Bayer Medal is awarded in memory of the inventor of polyurethane chemistry and former Head of Research at Bayer AG, Professor Otto Bayer (no relation to the company founder), who died in 1982. Otto Bayer promoted intensive dialogue with higher education institutions and supported university education.
The total of 528 researchers from the Bayer Group who have received this award since 1984 will now be joined by the newly honored laureates. The Otto Bayer Medal for outstanding research has been presented for the 23rd time. It is awarded for successful research contributions to new products, applications and innovative technologies.
The Otto Bayer Medal should not be confused with the Otto Bayer Award.
Overview of Award Winners of the Otto Bayer Medal
The Otto Bayer Medal 2022 went to research teams from Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health and Crop Science for Vericiguat (Verquvo), Astepro, and protection against the “Billion-Dollar Bug”. The winners were honored with a ceremony in Leverkusen joined by our CEO Werner Baumann, Bayer’s Chief Transformation and Talent Officer Sarena Lin and all members of Bayer’s R&D Executive Committee.
Pharmaceuticals: Vericiguat (Verquvo)
Winners: Jens Ackerstaff; Corina Becker; Markus Follmann; Gorden Redlich; Lothar Rössig; Johannes-Peter Stasch
Consumer Health: Astepro
Winners: Cherise Adair; Amita Arya; Aditya Dinge; Greg Maher; Sangeeta Patel; Nancy Pierro
Crop Science: RNAi Technology to Provide Protection against “Billion-Dollar Bug”
Winners: Gerrit Segers; Renata Bolognesi; Sergey Ivashuta; Stanislaw Flasinski; Curtis Scherder; Daniel Kendrick
The Otto Bayer Medal 2020 was awarded to three teams from the Consumer Health, Crop Science and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The commonality of the recognized innovations are their remarkable benefits for our patients and customers – in the true spirit of Science for a better life: Freer breathing for those suffering from allergies, excellent crop protection that safeguards bees and a new oncology drug that is particularly efficacious for pediatric cancer patients.
Team: Dr. Charlene Ng, Dr. David Stevens, Donna Morella (first row, left to right) Kana Schmidt, Lissette Petry, Dr. Varsha Chavan (second row, left to right)
Team: Alexander Nikolakis, Dr. Ralf Nauen, Dr. Robert Velten (first row, left to right) Dr. Christian Funke, Dr. Matthias Haas, Dr. Hans-Werner Rauen (second row, left to right)
Team: Florian Hiemeyer, Dr. Nicoletta Brega, Dr. Stuart Ince (first row, left to right) Dr. Anna Shurshalina, Dr. Gert Brandl, Dr. Jens Leopold (second row, left to right)
The Otto Bayer Medal 2016 goes to research teams from Crop Science and Pharmaceuticals whose scientists researched and developed the new PodGuard oilseed rape variety and a new active ingredient.
The new oilseed rape variety PodGuard reduces harvest losses. Furthermore, the harvest becomes better protected against bad weather, for example high winds, because the pods are stronger.
In 2014 projects from Bayer HealthCare, Bayer CropScience and MaterialScience (now Covestro) were honored. They range from an innovative drug for treating heart and kidney diseases to innovative crop protection solutions for soybeans and research on carbon dioxide as a new raw material in plastics manufacturing.
from Bayer’s pharmaceutical
research unit in Finland has
made essential contributions
to improving the IUS platform.
From left: Prof. Wolfgang
Plischke, Pekka Lankinen,
Jyrki Pihlaja, Tuula Valo, Dr.
Manja Ahola, Dr. Marijn
Dekkers.
The projects in which the 2012 winners of the Otto Bayer Medal are involved reflect the wide spectrum of research activities at Bayer. They range from innovative technologies for family planning through a resource-saving process for polymer production to a new herbicide for crops.
members of the Bayer Board
of Management (center, left to
right) Dr. Marijn Dekkers,
Chairman Werner Wenning
and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang
Plischke.
Scientists at the Bayer Group were awarded the 2010 Otto Bayer Medal for a broad spectrum of research projects, ranging from innovative technologies for pharmaceutical research and new fungicides for plants through to a resource-saving process for plastics production.
member Prof. Dr. Wolfgang
Plischke (center) with winners
of the 2008 Otto Bayer
Medal.
In 2008, Bayer Group scientists were awarded the Otto Bayer Medal for research projects on a wide variety of topics, ranging from innovative development candidates for cardiovascular indication to stress reduction in plants and soft-feel coatings.
research scientists: The
winner 2006
29 Bayer Group scientists have been honored with the Otto Bayer Medal in recognition of their outstanding achievements in seven research projects.
Central to Bayer’s Future
Success”: The winner 2004
“Successful and efficient research will be central to the future success of the company,” emphasized Bayer Management Board Chairman Werner Wenning at the Bayer Innovation Forum at which 16 Bayer research scientists were awarded the Otto Bayer Medal for outstanding scientific achievements.