Research

Main research interests: Synthesis, structure and function of hydrogenase enzymes; Protein-catalyzed assembly of metal co-factors; Biological hydrogen production; Functional genome research of lithoautotropic bacteria

Career

• 2015-2021 Co-speaker of the Joint Committee on the Handling of Security-Relevant Research, DFG and Leopoldina
• since 2013 Member of the University Council of the University of Vienna, Austria
• 2008-2018 Scientific director of the Alfried Krupp Institute of Advanced Studies in Greifswald, Germany
• 1994-2013 Full Professor (C4) in Microbiology at the Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
• 1985-1994 Full Professor (C4) in Microbiology at the Free University Berlin, Germany
• 1983 Habilitation in Microbiology at the Georg-August University Göttingen, Germany
• 1977-1984 Research Associate at the Institute of Microbiology, Göttingen, Germany
• 1975-1976 Postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA
• 1973 Doctorate in Microbiology, University of Göttingen, Germany
• 1965-1970 Study of Biology at the Georg-August-University Göttingen (Diploma in Biology), Germany

Functions

(Selection)

• 2009-2012 Evaluation Board, Polish-German Scientific Award Copernicus
• 2007-2010 Joint Committee for the Sino-German Center for Research Promotion, German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 2007-2010 Member of the Scientific Advisory Council at the Robert Koch Foundation
• 2005-2015 Vice President of German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 2004-2008 Member of the Scientific Advisory board at the Center of infections diseases, University of Würzburg, Germany
• 2004-2008 Member of the Scientific Advisory Board at the Foundation “Alfried Krupp Kolleg Greifswald”
• 2003-2009 Nomination Committee for the Leibniz Award
• 2003-2005 Member of the German Federal Parliament Enquete Committee “Ethical and legal aspects of modern medicine”
• 2001-2004 Member of the Foundation Council “Max-Delbrück-Centre for molecular medicine”
• 2001-2004 Member of presidential committee “Gesellschaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte”
• 1997-2003 Vice President of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 1997-1999 Member of the Federal Science Council
• 1991-2001 Member of the Heisenberg Committee, German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 1985-1989 Vice President of the Association of General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM)

Projects

(Selection)

• 2009-2013 GenoMik-Transfer – Application-oriented Research on Non-Pathogenic microorganisms for Health, Nutrition and Ressource-Efficient Industry Production, “Autotrophic production of fine chemicals and specifically labeled biocompounds in Ralstonia eutropha”, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
• 2009-2012 BMBF project „Design of Natural Light-driven H2-Production from molecular to Mass-Fermentation“
• 2007-2012 DFG Cluster of Excellence “Unifying Concepts of Catalysis”, TP B1 “Structure-function analysis of oxygen tolerant hydrogenases”
• 2006-2009 BMBF project “Metabolic engineering of the hydrogen bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16: Production of biomolecules using hydrogen”
• 2005-2008 BMBF project “Molecular basis for a biotechnological and biomimetic approach of H2 production”
• 2000-2009 DFG collaborative research project “Protein-Cofactor Interactions in Biological Processes”
• “Bacterial [NiFe]-hydrogenases: key reactions of the biological activation of molecular hydrogen”
• 1999-2003 COST Action 841 (EC) “Biological and Biochemical Diversity of Hydrogen Metabolism”
• 1994-2000 Coordinator of the DFG priority program “Molecular analysis of regulatory networks in bacteria”
• 1990-1999 Collaborative research project on regulatory structures of nucleic acids and proteins

Honours and Memberships

(Selection)

• 2021 Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art
• since 2019 Honorary Member of the Vereinigung für Allgemeine und Angewandte Mikrobiologie (VAAM)
• 2016 Leopoldina Medal of Merit
• 2013 Arthur Burkhardt Prize
• 2013 Order of Merit (Verdienstkreuz am Bande) of the Federal Republic of Germany
• 2010 Guest Lecture Award „Frontiers in Biological Chemistry“, Max-Planck-Society
• since 2000 Corresponding member of the Academy of Science in Göttingen, Germany
• since 1997 Corresponding member of the North Rhine-Westphalia Academy of Science
• since 1994 Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• since 1994 Member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, Germany
• 1975 Research fellowship awarded by the German Research Foundation (DFG)