Özlem Türeci

Özlem Türeci
BioNTech · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Özlem Türeci
Birth date	1967
Birth place	Istanbul
Nationality	German
Alma mater	Hacettepe University, Saarland University, University of Saarland
Known for	Co-founder of BioNTech, co-developer of BNT162b2
Spouse	Uğur Şahin
Occupation	Physician, immunologist, entrepreneur

Özlem Türeci is a German physician, immunologist, and entrepreneur known for co-founding BioNTech and co-developing an mRNA vaccine against COVID-19. She trained in medicine and research in Istanbul and Germany, and has led translational oncology and immunotherapy programs connecting clinical practice with biotechnology. Türeci's work intersects academic institutions, biotech firms, and public health responses to emerging infectious diseases and cancer.

Early life and education

Türeci was born in Istanbul and moved to Germany for secondary education, attending institutions linked to Hacettepe University affiliations and training. She studied medicine at Hacettepe University and completed clinical and research training at Saarland University and the University of Saarland, where she focused on molecular oncology, tumor immunology, and translational medicine. During postgraduate work she collaborated with researchers associated with Max Planck Society, Helmholtz Association, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and departments linked to Medical Research Council consortia. Her doctoral and postdoctoral mentors included scientists working in laboratories connected to European Molecular Biology Laboratory, German Cancer Research Center, and university hospitals in Homburg and Saarbrücken.

Research and career

Türeci's early career encompassed clinical practice as a physician and laboratory research in tumor-associated antigens, neoantigens, and personalized cancer vaccines, with projects spanning collaborations with University of Heidelberg, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, and translational teams at Translational Medicine centers. She co-authored studies with investigators from Harvard Medical School, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University School of Medicine, and European centers including Karolinska Institutet, Institut Pasteur, and University of Oxford. Her publications connected to consortia such as European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer and trials registered with agencies like European Medicines Agency and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Türeci led programs integrating discoveries from laboratories at Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and clinical units at University Hospital Mainz into biotech pipelines, engaging with partners including Roche, Pfizer, Gilead Sciences, Novartis, and venture groups such as Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz during fundraising and corporate collaborations.

BioNTech and vaccine development

In 2008 Türeci co-founded BioNTech with Uğur Şahin and collaborators, building on work in mRNA therapeutics, personalized cancer immunotherapies, and bioinformatics platforms connected to European Bioinformatics Institute and EMBL-EBI. BioNTech partnered with Pfizer and research networks including German Center for Infection Research and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to develop the mRNA vaccine candidate BNT162b2 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical development drew on trial sites in networks such as National Institute for Health and Care Research, NIH, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Massachusetts General Hospital, and regulatory engagement with Paul-Ehrlich-Institut and European Medicines Agency. The program combined technologies from preclinical work at Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry and manufacturing collaborations with CureVac, Lonza Group, and Samsung Biologics to scale production. The rapid authorization of the vaccine involved emergency use pathways in the United Kingdom, United States, European Union, and WHO prequalification, while post-marketing surveillance engaged agencies like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and pharmacovigilance networks across France, Italy, Spain, and Poland.

Awards and honors

Türeci has received recognition from scientific, medical, and civic institutions including honors from Bundesrepublik Deutschland bodies, awards associated with Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, prize committees at Karolinska Institutet and Royal Society, and industry awards from organizations such as European Business Awards and Bio-Europe. She and her team received accolades from Time and science media outlets, and were listed in compilations by Forbes and Bloomberg for innovation and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Academic distinctions included invitations to lectures at Harvard University, fellowship associations with Academia Europaea, and honorary recognitions from municipal bodies in Mainz and Cologne. Professional societies such as European Society for Medical Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, and International Society for Vaccines have cited her contributions to immunotherapy and vaccine science.

Personal life and philanthropy

Türeci is married to Uğur Şahin, with whom she co-leads scientific and corporate initiatives at BioNTech, and maintains collaborations with academic centers including University of Mainz and Technical University of Munich. She and her family have engaged in philanthropic efforts supporting research consortia, public health initiatives, and educational programs connected to institutions like Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and foundations such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust. Her philanthropic interests include funding translational research, clinical trial networks, and infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in partnership with organizations like World Health Organization and national research agencies in Germany and Turkey.

Category:German physicians Category:Immunologists Category:Biotech founders