Arnold Rikli Prize Award for the year 2023

The 2023 Arnold Rikli Prize winner is Prof Dr rer. nat. Martina Meinke from Charite University Medicine in Berlin. She was awarded the prize for groundbreaking new findings on the killing of germs on human skin using tissue-tolerant far-UVC radiation and its potential application in medicine.
Prof Dr Martina Meinke’s research has produced significant results by investigating the efficacy and potential harmlessness of far UVC sources in a wavelength spectrum of 200-240 nm. The focus on combating methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA/MSSA) and Candida subspecies C. albicans and C. parapsilosis demonstrates the potential of this technology to minimise infections in clinical environments. The detailed assessment of the effects of germicidal doses of radiation on intact skin and wounds is groundbreaking and shows possible medical applications. The precise analysis of skin, DNA damage and radical production are important contributions to assessing the safety of this new technology.
The research results published by Prof Dr Martina Meinke highlight the enormous potential of UVC LED radiation sources for medical applications, particularly in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and viruses such as SARS-Cov-2. The studies conducted provide clear guidelines for the safe use of this technology and mark a significant advance in medicine.
2nd photo (from left to right): Prof Meinke (award winner) Mr A. Wolff (Chairman of the Jörg Wolff Foundation), Prof Reichrath (member of the prize jury)
3rd photo (from left to right): Stefan Dressendörfer (Managing Director JW Sales GmbH), Prof Meinke (award winner)
4th photo: Prof Meinke (award winner)