On 19 June 2026, we celebrated a special anniversary in the auditorium of the Deutsches Museum in Munich: 50 years of the Wilhelm Sander Foundation.
What emerged in 1975 from the estate of the Franconian entrepreneur Wilhelm Sander has set new standards ever since. The Foundation has provided around 350 million euros for 2,700 research projects – with a clear focus on cutting-edge medical research, particularly in the field of cancer research in Germany and Switzerland. The fundamental entrepreneurial principle of taking risks before the outcome is certain remains the cornerstone of the Foundation’s work to this day.
The ceremony offered more than just a retrospective. The keynote address by Prof. Dr Hermann Einsele set the tone, shedding light on current developments in cancer therapy and presenting new research approaches. Science slams and an interdisciplinary panel discussion facilitated dialogue between the scientific community, private research funding bodies and the general public – raising questions that extend beyond the evening itself: What role will private foundations play in the future? What framework conditions are needed for independent research? How can scientific freedom be safeguarded in the long term?
Just in time for the anniversary, the Foundation also launched its new magazine, WILHELM – featuring exciting projects, personal perspectives and scientific milestones from five decades of the Foundation’s work.
A heartfelt thank you goes to all the guests, speakers and colleagues who made this evening so special. Your passion for science is what drives us – today and for the next 50 years.
Highlights of the anniversary celebrations
