Paola Picotti, Professor of Molecular Systems Biology at ETH Zurich, has been awarded the 2026 Otto Naegeli Prize for Medical Research in recognition of her groundbreaking contributions to biomedical science. The prize, worth CHF 200,000, honours her development of advanced mass spectrometry technologies that enable the simultaneous analysis of thousands of protein structures.
Picotti’s research group pioneered LiP-MS technology, allowing scientists to detect changes in the three-dimensional structure of proteins directly from biological samples. This innovation has become a powerful tool in understanding neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, offering new insights into disease mechanisms and potential drug targets.
The award recognises not only her technological breakthroughs but also their impact on human health and medicine. Picotti noted that receiving the prize is especially meaningful given its long-standing tradition of celebrating transformative biomedical research. She and her team now aim to further apply structural protein data to develop therapies that correct disease-related molecular changes.
