Rector Toomas Asser received Karl Schlossmann Medal

At the General Assembly of the Estonian Academy of Sciences on 3 December, Prime Minister Kristen Michal awarded the Karl Schlossmann Medal to Rector Toomas Asser.

The rector was awarded the medal for his outstanding contribution to the development of medical science in Estonia, the sustainability of higher education, and the promotion of dialogue between research and society. His views on education policy and research funding have had a significant impact on the entire country. As rector, Toomas Asser has worked to strengthen the University of Tartu’s international competitiveness.

Toomas Asser is a neurologist of international renown and a distinguished neurosurgeon. His research has focused on injuries to the nervous system, the pathogenesis and treatment of traumatic brain injury, and on offering new solutions to improve patient outcomes. Toomas Asser’s studies on spinal cord injuries, inflammation of nerve tissue, and Parkinson’s disease have attracted considerable attention. Alongside advancing medical science, he has played a key role in training a new generation of medical researchers. Under his supervision, many Estonian neurologists and neuroscientists have earned their doctoral degrees. His work as a member of the academy has also been highly productive.

The memorial medals of the Estonian Academy of Sciences can be awarded to Estonian researchers who have achieved outstanding results in their field. Previously, the Karl Schlossmann Medal in medicine and related areas has been awarded to medical researcher Professor Irja Lutsar, medical researcher Lembit Allikmets and Members of the Academy Eero Vasar, Ain-Elmar Kaasik and Mart Saarma.