Can Aztekin receives 2026 Schering Young Investigator Award

The Schering Young Investigator Award recognises Aztekin’s outstanding scientific achievements and his commitment to pioneering research with significant societal potential: “Through his research, Can Aztekin gives us hope for new treatments for millions of people. His combination of scientific excellence and societal relevance makes him the ideal recipient of the Schering Young Investigator Award,” emphasises Dr Jörg Maxton-Küchenmeister Managing Director of the Schering Stiftung.

Aztekin’s research tackles a central biological mystery: why some animals, like frog tadpoles and axolotls, regenerate limbs, while mammals cannot. During his PhD at Cambridge, he identified signal centres—specialized cell types that orchestrate regeneration. His team discovered that mice and humans harbor dormant cell types resembling these centres, indicating latent regenerative potential. In a recent study, they found that atmospheric oxygen suppresses this ability. Lower oxygen levels trigger regeneration in mouse embryos—opening new therapeutic avenues.

„I am deeply honored to receive the 2026 Schering Young Investigator Award,“ says Can Aztekin. „While this award recognizes my work, it also reflects the contributions of outstanding colleagues, trainees, and collaborators who have helped make these discoveries possible. I am particularly grateful that our research is being recognized by the Schering Stiftung, whose longstanding commitment to supporting science with long-term societal relevance makes this award especially meaningful. I hope this recognition reminds us that some of the most meaningful biology hides in questions that once seemed like science fiction, and that nature still has a great deal to teach us.“

The Schering Young Investigator Award will be awarded, at the same times as the Ernst Schering Prize, on 17 November 2026, during a festive award ceremony at the Berlin‑Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities