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Awards

The European Biological Rhythms Society (EBRS) honours excellence and innovation in chronobiology through a series of prestigious awards and lectures. Each distinction recognises scientists whose work has advanced our understanding of biological timing and inspired future generations of researchers. These honours reflect the Society’s mission to celebrate discovery, foster collaboration, and acknowledge outstanding contributions to the field.
Kappers Medal

Johannes Ariëns Kappers Medal

The Johannes Ariëns Kappers Medal is the highest award of the European Biological Rhythms Society (EBRS), created to honor scientists with outstanding achievements and major contributions to the development of our research field.

The design of the medal is based on the one awarded to Johannes Ariëns Kappers—the first President of the EPSG and former Director of the Netherlands Brain Institute—during the second colloquium of the EPSG in Giessen in 1981. One side of the medal shows his profile, and the other side depicts his famous diagram of the sympathetic innervation of the mammalian pineal organ.

Award Recipients

  • Paul Pévet – Strasbourg, 2009
  • Charlotte Helfrich-Forster – Oxford, 2011
  • Josephine Arendt – Munich, 2013
  • Helena Illnerová – Manchester, 2015
  • Horst-Werner Korf – Amsterdam, 2017
  • Till Roenneberg – Lyon, 2019
  • Anna Wirz-Justice – Zurich, 2022
  • Ueli Schibler – Lübeck, 2025
Axelrod Lecture

Julius Axelrod Lecture

The Julius Axelrod Lecture was established by the European Biological Rhythms Society (EBRS) in 2005, following an agreement by the General Assembly in Frankfurt, to commemorate an eminent scholar of our discipline. This honorary lecture is delivered by a distinguished scientist at each EBRS Congress.

Lecture Presenters

  • Tony Ho – Strasbourg, 2009
  • Marty Zatz – Oxford, 2011
  • Stafford Lightman – Munich, 2013
  • Helena Illnerová – Manchester, 2015
  • David Klein – Amsterdam, 2017
  • Takashi Yoshimura – Lyon, 2019
  • Yoshitaka Fukada – Zurich, 2022
  • Andries Kalsbeek – Lübeck, 2025
Gwinner Lecture

Eberhard Gwinner Lecture

The Eberhard Gwinner Lecture was established by the European Biological Rhythms Society (EBRS) in 2005, following an agreement by the General Assembly in Frankfurt, to commemorate an eminent scholar of our discipline. This honorary lecture is delivered by a distinguished scientist at each EBRS Congress.

Lecture Presenters

  • Gerald Lincoln – Strasbourg, 2009
  • Andrew Loudon – Oxford, 2011
  • Barbara Helm – Munich, 2013
  • David Hazlerigg – Manchester, 2015
  • Valerie Simonneaux – Amsterdam, 2017
  • Noga Kronfeld-Schor – Lyon, 2019
  • Kristin Tessmar-Raible – Zurich, 2022
  • Martha Merrow – Lübeck, 2025
Kappers Lecture

Johannes Ariëns Kappers Lecture

The Johannes Ariëns Kappers Lecture was established by the European Biological Rhythms Society (EBRS) in 2005, following an agreement by the General Assembly in Frankfurt, to commemorate an eminent scholar of our discipline. This honorary lecture is delivered by a distinguished scientist at each EBRS Congress.

Lecture Presenters

  • Ruud Buijs – Strasbourg, 2009
  • Charlotte Helfrich-Forster – Oxford, 2011
  • Russell Foster – Munich, 2013
  • Joke Meijer – Manchester, 2015
  • Bill Schwartz – Amsterdam, 2017
  • Robert Lucas – Lyon, 2019
  • Mick Hastings – Zurich, 2022
  • Debra Skene – Lübeck, 2025
Stockgrand Lecture

Stockgrand Lecture

In 2005, the Board of Directors of Stockgrand Ltd (www.stockgrand.co.uk) agreed to establish the Stockgrand Lecture. Stockgrand proposes and sponsors a distinguished scientist to deliver this honorary lecture at every EBRS Congress.

Lecture Presenters

  • Christian Cajochen – Manchester, 2015
  • Marijke Gordijn – Amsterdam, 2017
  • Shantha Rajaratnam – Lyon, 2019
Aschoff's Ruler

Aschoff’s Ruler

The Aschoff’s Ruler recognizes exceptional contributions to the field of chronobiology and celebrates outstanding scientists who have advanced our understanding of biological rhythms.

Prize Winners

  • Maroli K. Chandrashekeran – Irsee, Germany, 1991
  • Jeffrey C. Hall – Amelia Island, USA, 1992
  • Johanna H. Meijer – New London, USA, 1993
  • Stephan Michel – Amelia Island, USA, 1994
  • Takao Kondo – Barga, Italy, 1995
  • Jennifer J. Loros – Amelia Island, USA, 1996
  • Charalambos P. Kyriacou – New London, USA, 1997
  • Till Roenneberg – Amelia Island, USA, 1998
  • Michael Menaker – Barga, Italy, 1999
  • Sato Honma – Amelia Island, USA, 2000
  • Charles A. Czeisler – Newport, USA, 2001
  • Serge Daan – Amelia Island, USA, 2002
  • Charlotte Helfrich-Förster – Barga, Italy, 2003
  • Martha Merrow – Whistler, Canada, 2004
  • Martin Zatz – Newport, USA, 2005
  • Anna Wirz-Justice – Sandestin, USA, 2006
  • Mick Hastings – Aussois, France, 2007
  • Michael Rosbash – Sandestin, USA, 2008
  • Hitoshi Okamura – Newport, USA, 2009
  • Louis Ptacek – Sandestin, USA, 2010
  • Elizabeth Maywood – Barga, Italy, 2011
  • Amita Sehgal – Sandestin, USA, 2012
  • Ueli Schibler – Newport, USA, 2013
  • Susan Golden – Big Sky, USA, 2014
  • Andrew Millar – United Kingdom, 2015
  • Katia Lamia – SRBR, 2016
  • Luis Larrondo – Stowe, USA, 2017
  • Carrie Partch – Amelia Island, USA, 2018
  • Paloma Mas – Girona, Spain, 2019
  • Satchin Panda – Virtual, 2020
  • None – (COVID-19), 2021
  • Vinod Kumar – Amelia Island, USA, 2022
  • Joseph Takahashi – Maine, USA, 2023
  • Takashi Yoshimura – Puerto Rico, USA, 2024
  • Rae Silver – Lübeck, Germany, 2025