August Wilhelm and Lieselotte Becht Research Award

Since 1995, the August Wilhelm and Lieselotte Becht Research Prize has annually honored outstanding patient-oriented research in the field of cardiovascular diseases. Endowed by Lieselotte Becht in memory of her husband August Wilhelm Becht, the German Foundation for Heart Research awards a prize of €15,000 along with a certificate to promote young scientists. The award ceremony takes place during the autumn meeting of the German Society of Cardiology and is regarded as a prestigious accolade within cardiological circles. The focus lies on the level of innovation and relevance to clinical research, thereby providing new impulses for the improvement of diagnosis and therapy of cardiovascular diseases.

Eligible to participate are scientists under 40 years of age working in Germany, whose work is no older than one year and has not been subject to any other funding procedure of the foundation. Evaluation is based on the degree of innovation and patient-oriented significance. Applications must include: a cover letter, a tabular CV, the research paper (max. 20 pages), a German summary, and, if applicable, consent declarations from co-authors. The call for applications is published annually in May, with submissions generally accepted until mid-July (next deadline: 17.07.2026). Through this targeted support, young researchers receive not only financial assistance but also public recognition of their achievements, which in the long term strengthens cardiovascular research in Germany.