The Thomas-Fredenhagen Prize by the “Mercantile Association of Lübeck” for technology transfer and business cooperation goes to Professor Dr. Thorsten M. Buzug and his team at the Institute for Medical Engineering.

After 2016, the Thomas-Fredenhagen Prize of the “Mercantile Association of Lübeck” was awarded for the second time this year. The prize money of € 10,000, donated by the Professor Hans-Heinrich Otte Foundation and the Mercantile Association of Lübeck, was awarded to Prof. Dr. Thorsten M. Buzug and his team at the Institute for Medical Engineering.

The ceremonial award was conferred on 26 April 2017 during the Annual Reception at the Universität zu Lübeck. Mr. Michael Weiß, Chair of the Mercantile Association of Lübeck elucidated the criteria used by the jury to select the winner. In his function as the Vice-President for Technology Transfer, Prof. Stefan Fischer made the announcement. He mentioned that all applicants were deemed excellent, which made the choice difficult. On behalf of the Professor Hans-Heinrich Otte Foundation, Dr. Holger Otte handed the prize to Prof. Bezug, who accepted it in the name of his entire staff at the Institute for Medical Engineering. The Thomas-Fredenhagen Prize of the “Mercantile Association of Lübeck” was in recognition of establishing sustained collaboration with major business partners known far beyond the borders of the BioMedTec Science Campus.

The jury honoured the commitment of Professor Buzug and his staff for being able to execute collaboration agreements in recent years on "Magnetic Particle Imaging" with significant international business partners. The jury noted that Prof. Bezug not only signed long-term agreements, but also placed major emphasis on sustained cooperation with these partners. In his words of thanks, Prof. Bezug pointed out the large share of this award borne by his staff, painting a picture of himself as primarily serving as the conductor of a team that never even dreamed of achieving such great success.

Thomas Fredenhagen (born 25 October 1627 in Lübeck; died 20 April 1709 ibid.) is counted among business persons who enlivened Lübeck’s industry in the 17th century, courageously hammered out new routes for foreign trade, and switched over from the “Partenreederei” – a social system of German maritime law shipping companies – to one’s own risky but more lucrative shipping business.
Prof. Hans-Heinrich Otte has influenced the history of today’s BDO AG, for over half a century. He is responsible for pioneering impulses for advancing auditing in Europe. As an entrepreneur, Hans-Heinrich Otte is the only one to have managed to take a certified public accounting firm based in Central European, and in particular in Germany, and successfully expand its reach around the world. He was the first in his field to recognise the value and momentousness of globalisation. A native of Lübeck, he complemented his profession by getting involved in social and cultural importance of this Hanseatic city. For example, he buttressed the effort in a multitude of ways to rebuild this city devasted by bombs. For his multifaceted commitment, he was awarded the honorary title of “Professor” in 2006, one of the highest distinctions in the State of Schleswig-Holstein.
Through its Chair, Michael Weiß, the Mercantile Association of Lübeck pushed hard to establish this award, whose aim is to strengthen the common effort to bring scientific achievement and industry together. It was conferred 2 March 2015 in the historic Fredenhagen Room of the association’s office, located in the Breite Straße.