Fekrije Selimi wins Boehringer Ingelheim’s FENS Award 2010 for Exceptional Research in Neuroscience

Ingelheim/German, Amsterdam/The Netherlands - The Boehringer Ingelheim FENS Award 2010 was granted during the Forum of the Federation of European Neuroscience (FENS), July 3-7 in Amsterdam. Fekrije Selimi, researcher in the laboratory ’Neurobiologie des Processus Adaptatifs’ at the University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France, is the fifth scientist receiving the international FENS Award. The biennial Boehringer Ingelheim FENS Research Award is endowed with 25 000 Euro in recognition of outstanding research of young scientists in the field of neuroscience.

Fekrije Selimi’s innovative strategy, the ’synaptic protein profiling’ approach, is the first example for the purification of a single type of synapse from mouse cerebellum and subsequent identification of specific synaptic proteins. The research of 36-years old scientist focuses on controlling mechanisms in the development of highly complex neuronal connectivity in the mammalian brain. She combines genetic with biochemical approaches to dissect the signalling pathways underlying the specificity of brain connections.

“We are proud of having the opportunity to honour award winning work in Neuroscience of young scientists for the fifth time now. Fekrije Selimi has investigated one of the key processes in brain signalling and brain function and it is a pleasure to honour her with the Boehringer Ingelheim FENS Research Award.” says Prof Andreas Barner, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors at Boehringer Ingelheim.

Dr. Bernd Sommer (Vice President CNS diseases research) honoured Dr Selimi in her speech during the lecture at the FENS meeting, 5th of July 2010 and pointed out that creativity in combination with experimental thoroughness and persistence are key to elucidate the complexity neuronal connectivity.

“ I hope that our work on synaptic protein profiling can now be extended to understand the regulation of synapse formation and function. This would help to decipher a potential molecular synaptic code.” said Dr. Selimi receiving the Award Certificate.
Boehringer Ingelheim

The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 142 affiliates in 50 countries and more than 41,500 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.

In 2009, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of 12.7 billion euro while spending 21% of net sales in its largest business segment Prescription Medicines on research and development.