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EFIS Celebrates its 50th Anniversary by Honouring Prof. Klaus Rajewsky with Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS) is proud to inaugurate the EFIS Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising individuals whose careers have made a profound and lasting impact on the field of immunology and the European immunology community.

EFIS is delighted to announce that the first recipient of this prestigious award is Prof. Klaus Rajewsky of the Max Delbrück Center (Berlin) in recognition of his extraordinary six-decade career and foundational contributions to immunology in Europe and beyond. A pioneer in cellular and molecular immunology, Prof. Rajewsky has shaped the field through groundbreaking research, transformative innovations, and the mentorship of generations of immunologists. He is celebrated for his foundational work on B cell biology, the development of the Cre/loxP gene targeting system, and his early adoption of technologies such as microRNA analysis and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in immunological research.

Beyond his research, Prof. Rajewsky has played a crucial role in building the European immunology community. As a founding member of the German Society for Immunology and the Academia Europaea, as well as a key advisor to leading institutions such as EMBL, Institut Pasteur, and the Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, he has been a tireless promoter of collaborative science and international exchange. As a mentor, he has trained and inspired generations of immunologists in Germany, across Europe, and internationally.

Nominated by the German Society for Immunology (DGfI), Prof. Klaus Rajewsky embodies the mission of EFIS to advance immunological research and foster a strong scientific community across Europe.

This award marks both a celebration of Prof. Rajewsky’s extraordinary legacy and a milestone in EFIS’ mission to advance immunology across Europe as it enters its next 50 years.

The EFIS Lifetime Achievement Award will be formally presented during the 19th International Congress of Immunology (ICI 2025), taking place in Vienna, Austria, August 17–22, 2025.