Federal Cross of Merit for the founding couple of the MTZ®foundation
Great honour for Monika and Thomas Zimmermann: on 03.07.2020 they were awarded the Medal of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Erkrath town hall.
The highest award for services to the common good was presented by District Administrator Thomas Hendele. Like Mayor Christoph Schultz, he had also honoured the honorary services of the Zimmermann couple in connection with their foundation for the promotion of young scientists, which was established in 2006. Since 2009, the couple has presented the MTZ®-MPI-Award annually to a young scientist at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Molecular Biomedicine. Professor Dr. Ralf Adams, Managing Director of the MPI for Molecular Biomedicine, attended the ceremony and congratulated the couple on behalf of the Board of Directors.
With their MTZ®foundation, Monika and Thomas Zimmermann have been supporting young scientists in the field of human biology and the life sciences for more than ten years now. With their various awards, they honour the best research results in the fight against diseases and for the development of drugs.
At the MPI for Molecular Biomedicine, the MTZ®foundation has been honouring young talents since 2009. "We are very grateful to Monika and Thomas Zimmermann for this annual award. The prizewinners can make good use of this support. They appreciate the prize money and are delighted with the recognition," says Ralf Adams. After completing their doctorates, they often find very good positions at top universities or renowned research institutions worldwide.
"Mr. and Mrs. Zimmermann expressed their determination to continue their commitment to the promotion of young scientists with the greatest enthusiasm in the future," said Ralf Adams, who was delighted.