Scientific excellence in doping control

Agilent Technologies has announced that it has presented its 2006 Manfred Donike Award for scientific excellence in doping control to Maxie Kohler.

Agilent Technologies has announced that it has presented its 2006 Manfred Donike Award for scientific excellence in doping control to Maxie Kohler, a researcher at the Institute of Biochemistry at the German Sport University in Cologne, Germany.

Kohler was honoured for her research into the molecular mechanisms by which athletes metabolize 4-hydroxyandrostenedione and 4-hydroxytestosterone substances.

Agilent sponsors this annual award, first presented in 1997, to recognize distinguished scientific contributions in the field of sports medicine.

Award winners are scientists who exemplify the spirit and scientific leadership of doping-control pioneer Manfred Donike and whose contributions significantly advance the cause of fairness in sports competition.

The award consists of a medallion and a cash prize of 3,500 euros.

Marie-Theres Donike, wife of the late professor, and Stephen B.

Crisp, international business development manager for Agilent's Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis business, presented the award at the 24th Annual Manfred Donike Doping Control Workshop in Cologne, Germany.

"Kohler's research represents an important step forward in understanding how athletes metabolize two frequently abused substances, enabling better detection of those substances during testing," said Crisp.

"Her work is further proof that Professor Donike's pioneering contributions and visionary leadership in developing anti-doping methods and technologies for international sporting competition continue to level the playing field for all athletes." Before assuming her present position at the Institute of Biochemistry at the German Sport University, Kohler received her master's degree in biology at Cologne University where her majors included biochemistry, physiology and organic chemistry.

While earning her degree, she gathered practical experience at the Anti-Doping Center using gas chromatography mass spectrometry to analyze dietary supplements for the presence of anabolic steroids.

Her work included the synthesis of reference compounds and metabolites of various substances used by athletes to illegally enhance performance; the foundation of her work focused on androstenedione and testosterone substances.

Kohler collaborated with other researchers from the Institute of Biochemistry at the German Sport University, including M.K.

Parr, G.

Opfermann and W.

Schaenzer.

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