EPNOE Science Prize 2025 awarded to Antje Potthast

At the 9th EPNOE International Polysaccharide Conference in Sundsvall (Sweden), Antje Potthast, professor at BOKU’s Institute of Chemistry of Renewable Resources, was honored with the EPNOE Science Prize 2025. This award recognizes outstanding scientific achievements and lifetime contributions in polysaccharide research. In her plenary lecture “Still navigating the complexity of cellulose analysis”, she highlighted key advances from her long-standing research on cellulose chemistry and analytics. Topics included refined methods for molar mass distribution, quantification of chemical modifications, and enzymatic degradation processes. She also presented novel approaches to cellulose processing in ionic liquids, as well as studies on aging and conservation of cellulose-based cultural heritage materials. Through these interdisciplinary efforts, Potthast has significantly advanced the understanding and utilization of cellulose.