BioNTech’s Türeci, Şahin receive Aydın Doğan award

Özlem Türeci and Uğur Şahin, the co-founders of BioNTech, have been named the recipients of this year's Aydın Doğan Award for their invaluable work on biotechnology culminating the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.

"We have chosen to present the Aydın Doğan Award to esteemed scientists Türeci and Şahin, who have carried out invaluable works in the field of biotechnology in 2021 and who have finally given hope to the entire world with their development of the vaccine," said the Aydın Doğan Foundation in a statement.

In addition to this remarkable scientific achievement that has the potential to save countless lives, Şahin and Türeci have also inspired millions around the world, it added.

"The Aydın Doğan Award matters for appreciating the difference science can make. We are honored to be representatives of this award's mission, which aims to support the arts, sciences and culture, as well as children's education and their access to equal education privileges," Şahin said.

The Aydın Doğan Award has been given by Turkey's Aydın Doğan Foundation every year since 1996 to reward successful institutions or individuals for developments in culture, arts, literature and science.