Photo: Framewerk

This year’s Virchow Prize goes to scientists Jean-Jacques Muyembe and Peter Piot. It honors their groundbreaking contributions to research on the Ebola virus, as well as their decades-long commitment to global health and worldwide epidemic prevention.

The careers of the two laureates are closely linked to the first documented Ebola outbreak in 1976. While the Congolese microbiologist Jean-Jacques Muyembe led the on-site investigations in what was then the Republic of Zaire and secured crucial samples, the Belgian-British physician and microbiologist Peter Piot was involved in their scientific analysis. Together, they laid the foundation for understanding a previously unknown virus and for scientific collaboration across geographical, institutional, and cultural boundaries. For this groundbreaking and ongoing commitment, Muyembe and Piot are receiving the Virchow Prize, which comes with a cash award of 500,000 euros.

Global Solidarity

The Software AG Foundation (SAGST) has been a funding partner of the Virchow Prize since 2023. “Good healthcare for all cannot be taken for granted,” emphasizes SAGST Board Member Dr. Johannes Stellmann. “It is the result of decades of research, courageous fieldwork, and global coordination. Jean-Jacques Muyembe and Peter Piot embody this synergy in an impressive way.”” Muyembe (born in 1942) is Director General of the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Piot conducts research and teaches at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, as well as at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

The jury’s decision is particularly timely this year: 2026 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first Ebola outbreak. At the same time, current Ebola outbreaks in Central Africa underscore how important international cooperation and sustainable public health measures continue to be. “Epidemics and health crises such as Ebola, HIV, maternal mortality, or diabetes have taught us that they are not merely medical problems, but also a test of trust, justice, leadership, and political and scientific cooperation—as Rudolf Virchow observed more than a century ago,” said Muyembe and Piot in a joint statement. The award ceremony will take place on October 10, 2026, at the Rotes Rathaus in Berlin. Approximately 300 high-ranking guests from the fields of science, politics, and civil society are expected to attend.