26.02.2026
Christoph Lange receives the DZIF Prize for Translational Infection Research 2025
Double reason to celebrate: Shortly after receiving the Oskar Medical Award, the internationally renowned tuberculosis expert has now also been honored with the DZIF Prize for Translational Infection Research 2025. At the annual conference of the German Center for Infection Research in Bonn, he was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of tuberculosis, particularly drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Press Release from the German Center of Infection Research (DZIF), 25.02.2026
He is one of the world's leading clinical researchers in the field of tuberculosis (TB): Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Christoph Lange has been awarded the DZIF Prize for Translational Infection Research 2025. The award recognizes Christoph Lange's outstanding contribution to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of tuberculosis, especially antibiotic-resistant forms. The award ceremony took place on February 24, 2025, in Bonn during the joint annual meeting of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) and the Paul-Ehrlich-Society for Infection Therapy (PEG).
Christoph Lange has been researching tuberculosis for more than two decades and is one of the leading experts in this field. As Professor of Respiratory Medicine & International Health at the University of Lübeck and Medical Director of the Research Center Borstel, the Leibniz Lung Center, Christoph Lange and his colleagues are committed to translation: to gaining scientific insights in basic research and translating them into clinical practice.
Lange's research focus and translational work
Christoph Lange recognized early on that TB can only be effectively combated through internationally networked structures. His translational work includes the establishment of international networks such as TBnet, a platform that is now one of the largest independent research networks for tuberculosis worldwide. In addition, he has devoted himself to the development and validation of clinically relevant biomarkers in the DZIF infrastructure ClinTB and DZIF projects on personalized medicine. His work on establishing evidence-based TB therapy concepts has been directly incorporated into WHO guidelines. He has also been heavily involved in setting up Eastern European Study Sites.
Furthermore, as clinical director, Professor Lange is contributing to the establishment of a study platform for the development of shorter and more effective TB therapies in the DZIF-funded IMI-EU project UNITE4TB – all under the premise of closely integrating basic research and clinical care for patients.
Under Lange's leadership, the first Europe-wide cohorts have been established via TBnet since 2006, in which the widespread distribution of resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Eastern European countries was demonstrated for the first time. The research results led to a revision of the WHO definitions for tuberculosis treatment outcomes and proved that individualized treatment of TB is superior to standardized “one-size-fits-all” therapies.
As part of ClinTB, a prospective national cohort was established to analyze treatment courses under ideal conditions and identify biomarkers for individualized therapy. Dr. Maja Reimann in Christoph Lange's team succeeded in doing this: a biomarker is currently being scientifically tested which, according to initial results, predicts the individual end of therapy for each patient. In addition, biomathematicians in Lange's team were able to identify biomarkers to predict the occurrence of undesirable side effects or the duration of infectivity.
Together with partners in Moldova and Ukraine, treatment outcomes for antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis were examined under changing therapy conditions: The use of older treatment methods resulted in low success rates, while a more modern, bedaquiline-based therapy led to higher success rates. However, at the same time, more and more resistance is developing – including to bedaquiline. The corresponding study data had a direct influence on the WHO guidelines for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis.
The “UNITE4TB” project, an EU IMI flagship project coordinated by Professor Lange as clinical lead together with Professor Michael Hölscher from Munich, is the most comprehensive study platform in the history of TB therapies with €180 million in funding and is co-financed by the DZIF. UNITE4TB aims to develop shorter, more effective, and better tolerated TB therapies.
Professor Lange conducts research on the above topics primarily at the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) and in international consortia such as TBnet, anTBiotic, stool4TB, clickTB, and UNITE4TB. Professor Lange has served as an elected volunteer director and secretary general of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (The UNION) since 2023.
Kontakt
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Christoph Lange
DZIF TTU TB (ClinTB)
T +49 4537 / 188-3010 (Sekretariat)
F +49 4537 / 188-6030
clange@fz-borstel.de
Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse als Basis für globale Behandlungsstrategien
Christoph Langes wissenschaftliche Stärke spiegelt sich auch in der Bilanz seiner Publikationen wider: Mit >470 peer reviewed Veröffentlichungen, davon viele in internationalen Spitzenjournalen, einem h-index von 98 und >37.500 Zitationen gehört Professor Lange zu den renommiertesten Tuberkuloseforschern weltweit. Als Erst- oder Seniorautor verfasste er für führende Fachzeitschriften wie dem New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet und Nature Review Disease Primers Übersichtsarbeiten zur Antibiotika-resistenten Tuberkulose und war außerdem federführender Autor bei der Erstellung internationaler Leitlinien zum Management von Lungeninfektionen durch nicht tuberkulöse-Mykobakterien. In Deutschland ist Professor Lange Mitglied in der S2-Leitliniengruppe zur TB und als einziger Deutscher auch Mitglied der WHO-Leitlinienkommission für die Tuberkulosetherapie.
Christoph Lange engagiert sich neben der Forschung auch für die Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses, etwa durch die Organisation der TBnet Academy oder internationaler Programme in Eswatini im südlichen Afrika. Auf internationaler Ebene ist Prof. Lange neben der Wissenschaft auch als Berater für die WHO, das US-amerikanische National Institute of Health oder Ärzte ohne Grenzen tätig und arbeitet mit Gesundheitssystemen auf allen Kontinenten, in Hochtechnologie- wie in Entwicklungsländern gleichermaßen. In diesen Funktionen sorgt Lange dafür, dass neueste Studienergebnisse in globale Strategien überführt werden und u. a. in medizinischen Leitlinien einfließen, die als Entscheidungshilfe für Ärzte und medizinisches Personal dienen.
Der DZIF-Preis für translationale Forschung
„Christoph Lange gehört zu den einflussreichsten klinischen Tuberkuloseforschern weltweit. Seine Arbeit zeichnet sich durch eine klare strategische Linie aus und ist ein hervorragendes Beispiel für translationale Infektionsforschung“, betonte der DZIF-Vorstandsvorsitzende Prof. Dirk Busch in seiner Laudatio.
Mit dem DZIF-Preis für translationale Infektionsforschung zeichnet die DZIF Academy jedes Jahr wissenschaftlich herausragende Leistungen auf dem Gebiet der translationalen Infektionsforschung aus. Der mit 5.000 Euro dotierte Preis wurde Prof. Christoph Lange am 24. Februar 2026 in Bonn feierlich überreicht. Die Preisträger:innen der Vorjahre sind auf der Website der DZIF Academy zusammengestellt.