The prestigious Körber European Science Prize for 2002 was awarded to five European Scientists including three from Manchester. Professor Mark Ferguson, Professor Cay Kielty and Professor Mike Walker, all from the UK Centre for Tissue Engineering within the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Manchester, shared the prize with Professor Jeffrey Hubbell from Zurich and Professor Bjorn Stark from Freiburg. The prize was presented on 6 September 2002 in Hamburg by the German President in a ceremony that more than 600 people attended, and was covered widely in the German press and television.

The award, which consist of €750,000 to the International Team to further research in scar free wound healing using tissue engineering, reflects many strands of the University's activities. First, it recognises the significant discovery and development of scar-free healing over many years by Professor Ferguson's Research Group. Secondly, it recognises the University's growing strength in tissue engineering and the UK Centre for Tissue Engineering in Manchester, which is a joint Research Council (BBSRC/MRC/EPSRC) initiative, is specifically highlighted in the award. Professors Ferguson, Kielty and Walker are all key members of the UK Centre for Tissue Engineering. Thirdly, it will facilitate the development of scar-free healing in blood-vessel grafts, building on the research of Professors Kielty and Walker.

The Körber European Science Prize, which is one of the distinguished scientific honours in Europe, recognises research which is of a more applied nature and which will be of direct benefit to society. Clearly, millions of people would benefit from the development of scar-free wound healing therapies. Significantly three of the recipients, including Professor Ferguson form the University of Manchester, are the founders of Spin Out Companies commercialising various aspect of their fundamental research findings.

The prize is funded by the Körber Foundation: a private foundation based in Hamburg, established by the famous German Industrialist and Entrepreneur, Kurt A. Körber.