Botond Roska – Prizewinner 2020

Körber European Science Prize 2020 goes to Botond Roska. The Hungarian physician revolutionised ophthalmology with his work and is one of the world's leading experts in the study of vision and the retina.
Botond Roska has set himself the goal of restoring sight to the blind. Most eye diseases are caused by hereditary or age-related defects in the retina. Roska has carried out pioneering work to identify the approximately one hundred different cell types in the retina and their complex interplay in signal processing.
The scientist is now working on making these fundamental insights beneficial for patients and using gene therapies to alleviate or cure their diseases. Roska achieved a genuine breakthrough when he reprogrammed a cell type in the eye, enabling it to take over the function of defective light receptor cells. He was thus able to make blind retinas light-sensitive again – and clinical trials with blind people have already begun.
Botond Roska, 50, initially studied cello at the Academy of Music in Budapest, but had to give up his musical career due to an injury and subsequently completed his studies in medicine and mathematics. Together with Professor Hendrik Scholl, he became a founding director of the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology of the University Basel, IOB in December 2017.
The Körber European Science Prize 2020 was presented to Roska on 7 September in the Great Festival Hall of Hamburg City Hall.
Report of the presentation of the prize
For his research in ophthalmology, the Hungarian physician Botond Roska has been awarded the Körber European Science Prize 2020, endowed with one million euros. The award ceremony took place on 7 September, 2020 in the Great Festival Hall of Hamburg City Hall. Roska is one of the world's leading experts in the field of vision and retinal research.
Portrait
The Hungarian physician Botond Roska has set himself the goal of restoring sight to the blind. Roska has tracked down the approximately one hundred different cell types in the retina and investigated their interaction. Now the scientist is working on making these fundamental insights beneficial for patients and alleviating or curing their diseases. Roska achieved a breakthrough when he reprogrammed a cell type in the eye, enabling it to take over the function of defective light receptor cells. He was thus able to make blind retinas light-sensitive again. Clinical trials with blind people have already begun. Botond Roska has been awarded the Körber Prize for European Science 2020 for his research.
Presentation of the prize
Photos of the presentation of the Körber European Science Prize 2020 to Botond Roska in the Great Festival Hall of Hamburg City Hall, 7 September 2020.
These photos are free to use in the context of news coverage with the credits given below.

Dr. Lothar Dittmer, Prof. Dr. Botond Roska, Prof. Dr. Martin Stratmann (from left)
Credit: Körber-Stiftung/David Ausserhofer
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Prof. Dr. Botond Roska, Ranga Yogeshwar (from left)
Credit: Körber-Stiftung/David Ausserhofer
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Presentation of the Körber Prize in the Hamburg City Hall, 7 September 2020
Credit: Körber-Stiftung/David Ausserhofer
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Tatjana König, Prof. Dr. Botond Roska, Dr. Lothar Dittmer, Prof. Dr. Martin Stratmann, Dr. Peter Tschentscher (from left)
Credit: Senatskanzlei Hamburg
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Detailed Information
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Photos
The following photos are free to use in the context of news coverage with the credit Körber-Stiftung/Friedrun Reinhold.


