Congratulations to VVP Wolfgang Baumeister, who has been awarded the 2026 Canada Gairdner International Award for "developing cryo-electron tomography, a method that visualizes molecular structures inside intact cells at near-native resolution, creating a new way to study cellular architecture and revealing the inner workings of life at the molecular level.” Baumeister is Director Emeritus and Scientific Member, Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany; Distinguished Professor, ShanghaiTech University, China.

The Work: Wolfgang Baumeister has transformed structural and cell biology by developing cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), a method that lets scientists see the 3D organization of molecules inside cells in a close-to-live state. Whereas traditional structural biology isolates proteins, losing context about how they function together, cryo-ET preserves the cell’s natural environment, revealing molecular interactions as they actually occur.

To make cryo-ET effective for studying cells, Wolfgang Baumeister helped adapt [PO1.1]and advanced several key approaches. These included using cryogenic ion beams to make [PO2.1]cellular samples electron transparent, automating electron microscopy to collect images reliably, reducing electron exposure to prevent radiation damage, and developing computational tools to identify molecular complexes in cells. Prof. Baumeister initially applied this technique to proteasomes – large protein complexes that perform essential tasks in the cell – uncovering their arrangement, dynamics, and supramolecular organization. The technology has been applied to many other cellular processes in recent times.

Through this pioneering combination of biology, imaging, and computation, Prof. Baumeister created a new approach to explore the molecular architecture of life.

The Impact: Wolfgang Baumeister’s innovations have fundamentally changed how scientists study the inner workings of cells. Cryo-electron tomography allows researchers to observe molecular assemblies in their natural environment, revealing how proteins and complexes interact to carry out essential cellular processes.

These insights are transforming our understanding of health and disease, from how cells maintain protein quality to how cellular structures respond to stress. By pioneering both the technology and the practical workflows for cryo-ET, Prof. Baumeister has trained and inspired a global community of scientists. Today, researchers worldwide use cryo-ET to address key questions in structural biology, cell biology, and medicine.

His work has opened entirely new avenues for research, allowing the molecular machinery of life to be seen in unprecedented detail, and establishing cryo-ET as a cornerstone tool for exploring the cellular foundations of biology and disease. 

About the Gairdner Foundation: The mission of the Gairdner Foundation is to celebrate, inform and inspire scientific excellence around the globe.

Established in 1957, the Gairdner Foundation is dedicated to fulfilling James A. Gairdner’s vision to recognize major research contributions to the treatment of disease and alleviation of human suffering. Through the prestigious annual Canada Gairdner Awards, the Foundation celebrates the world’s most creative and accomplished researchers whose work is improving the health and wellbeing of people around the world. Since its inception, 434 awards have been bestowed on laureates from over 40 countries, and of those awardees, 103 have gone on to receive Nobel Prizes.

The Gairdner Foundation brings people together to openly discuss science in order to better engage the public, understand the problems we face, and work together to find solutions. Through Gairdner Connects, our national outreach program, we bring science to communities across Canada to inspire future innovators and spark public dialogue about the role of research in addressing the world’s most pressing health challenges.