The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Bonn has conferred an honorary doctorate on the illustrious researcher Professor Sharon Lewin. The Director of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, Professor Lewin is also a Laureate Professor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne in Australia and collaborates with the University Hospital Bonn. She is being recognized for her exceptional research on the international stage and her groundbreaking work in the field of HIV research in particular.
“The Faculty of Medicine’s decision to bestow an honorary doctorate on Professor Sharon Lewin is undoubtedly an occasion of great significance and a landmark event in its partnership with the University of Melbourne and the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics,” says Professor Bernd Weber, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and acting CEO of the University Hospital Bonn. “It’s a demonstration of our shared values and our dedication to a common cause, namely promoting scientific excellence in medicine and making pioneering contributions to solving global challenges through international partnerships.”
Sharon Lewin has worked on over 360 publications. Together with her team, she is studying HIV and conducting research into the link between HIV and hepatitis B, into HIV-related immune reconstitution and immune activation and into immunomodulation in HIV patients. Her infectiology research is also looking into antiviral strategies for SARS‑CoV‑2, COVID-19 complications and “long COVID.”
“I am truly honoured to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Bonn,” Professor Sharon Lewin says. She believes that the world-leading work the University of Bonn is doing in the fields of basic research and applied immunology is the perfect complement to the Doherty Institute’s activities, which are focusing on studying, preventing, treating and curing infectious diseases. “The University of Bonn is also an important strategic partner of the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics, as we continue our work together to harness the immune system as a therapeutic for pathogens of pandemic potential,” the researcher explains. “I am proud of this recognition and look forward to further strengthening our collaboration.”
Highly decorated
The infectious diseases expert’s current roles include co-chairing the International AIDS Society’s “Towards an HIV Cure” program and the National COVID Health and Research Advisory Committee, and she served as President of the International Aids Society until 2024. In her home country, she was presented with the Melbourne Achiever Award in 2020 and the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences’ Outstanding Female Researcher Medal two years later. The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Bonn has now presented her with an honorary doctorate to mark her outstanding achievements and her contributions to the international scientific partnership that is the Bonn Cumming Host-Directed Pandemic Therapeutics Research Program.
“Professor Sharon Lewin is one of the most outstanding infectious disease experts of our time,” says ImmunoSensation2 member Professor Christian Kurts, Director of the Institute of Experimental Immunology at the University of Bonn and University Hospital Bonn. For some years now, the researchers in Bonn have been collaborating with her in a Research Training Group funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Within the group, early-career infectious disease immunologists are trained both within ImmunoSensation2 in Bonn and at the Peter Doherty Institute in Melbourne, which Professor Lewin leads. “I’m delighted that we’ll now be able to continue our longstanding and extremely successful collaboration under the auspices of the Bonn-Cumming Center,” Kurts adds.
The honorary doctorate was conferred during a scientific symposium held at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases on the Venusberg Campus. Also in attendance, alongside Professor Lewin, was Geoff Cumming as guest of honor. The philanthropist enabled the establishment of the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics by substantial donations.
Contact
Dr. Elisabeth Jurack
Faculty of Medicine
University of Bonn
Cell: +49 151 18853496
Email: e.jurack@uni-bonn.de
