Professor Peter Kremsner of the University of Tübingen, Germany, and CERMEL (Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné), Gabon, was awarded the 2023 Dr Pascoal Mocumbi Prize at the Eleventh EDCTP Forum opening ceremony.

For more than a decade, Prof. Kremsner has played a critical role in establishing CERMEL as a national centre of research excellence in Gabon. Research there has focused primarily on malaria, as well other locally important infectious diseases.

From humble beginnings, CERMEL has now contributed to 200 trials and employs 300 staff. It is making vital contributions to capacity building, through training of master’s and PhD students and postdoctoral scientists. Furthermore, it now hosts research professorships associated with a range of European institutions but based at CERMEL.

The Dr Pascoal Mocumbi Prize is named after EDCTP’s first High Representative, Dr Pascoal Mocumbi, who also served as Minister of Health and Prime Minister of Mozambique. It is awarded to senior scientists, policy-makers or advocates for health and research, from anywhere in the world. The Prize winner receives a commemorative trophy and €50,000.

Prof. Kremsner was presented with the Prize at the Forum opening ceremony by Professor Marcel Tanner (EDCTP High Representative for Europe) and Ms Sonia Mocumbi, Dr Mocumbi’s daughter, who shared their memories of an outstanding scientist, profound influence on EDCTP, and father.

Accepting the Prize, Professor Kremsner was joined on stage by his wife and three children to share the recognition of his enormous contributions to global health over the past four decades.