"Dierk Niessing received the Care-for-Rare Science Award for his contributions to research into the PURA syndrome. The structural biologist shares the 50,000 euro prize with Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Hirsch from Münster University Hospital. The award ceremony took place on Friday December 14th at the “Alte Pinakothek” in München.
The PURA syndrome is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder first described in 2014 that leads to epileptic seizures, among other symptoms. Currently, no treatment is available. Niessing and his team seeks to elucidate the molecular basis of the symptoms of this severe disorder. To achieve this, the team contributes expertise in structural biology and biochemistry, networks with other research disciplines (stem cell research and high-throughput analyses) and also closely interacts with a patient association (PURA Syndrome Foundation).”