(Vienna, 02 October 2025) Mario Rothbauer, Research Group Leader of the Orthopaedic Microsystems Group and Deputy Head of the Karl Chiari Lab for Orthopaedic Biology (KCLOB) at the Department of Orthopedics and Trauma-Surgery at the Medical University of Vienna and Principal Investigator at the Institute for Applied Synthetic Chemistry at the Vienna University of Technology, has been awarded the Leadership Excellence Award in Research (LExA) 2025 in the ‘Emerging Leaders’ category by the Ludwig Boltzmann Society.
The award has been presented by the Career Centre of the Ludwig Boltzmann Society since 2023 and honours leaders who make significant contributions to science through their excellent leadership skills. The award was presented on 25 September 2025 by Federal Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner during the LBG Xchange at the Leopold Museum in Vienna.
In its statement, the jury particularly highlighted Rothbauer's clear goal orientation, his sensitivity to the individual interests of his team members, and his professional yet humorous manner. Particular emphasis was also placed on his open approach to mistakes, which promotes a trusting and learning-oriented team culture. In addition, Rothbauer embodies humanity and empowerment in flat hierarchies that transcend inter-university team boundaries and form a research collective. This collective is dedicated to the further development of human tissue models in orthopaedic biology and modern toxicology in line with the 3Rs – together for humans and animals. His collaboration with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Arthritis and Rehabilitation, headed by Tanja Stamm, contributes significantly to improving the health of people with arthritis.
The LExA is awarded annually to individuals who set new standards in scientific leadership. The prize is endowed with 4,000 euros, which can be used for team development measures.