Research

Research is concerned with frog and mouse development and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The two focal points are cell-cell communication by Wnt signaling and epigenetic regulation by DNA demethylation.

Career

• since 2010 Executive & Scientific Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology Mainz (IMB), Germany
• 2010 W3 Professor at Mainz University, Faculty of Biology, Germany
• 2008-2010 Co-Director of the “DKFZ-ZMBH Allianz” , Germany
• 2006-2008 Chair of the Scientific Council at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Germany
• 2004-2010 Coordinator of the DKFZ Research Program Cell and Tumor Biology, Germany
• 2000 Chair of Molecular Embryology, German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University, Germany
• since 1994 Head of Division of Molecular Embryology, German Cancer Research Center, Germany
• 1997 Habilitation, Faculty of Biology, Heidelberg University, Germany
• 1990-1993 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, USA
• 1986-1990 Ph. D., European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Heidelberg, Germany
• 1981-1985 Diploma in Biochemistry, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Germany

Honours and Memberships

• 2012 Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz
• 2009 ERC Senior Investigator Grant
• 2007 Member of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
• 2003 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Award (German Research Foundation)
• 2003 Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 2002 Research Award of the Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg
• 2001 Otto Mangold Award of the German Society of Developmental Biology
• 2000 EMBO Gold Medal Award
• 1999 Biology Award of the Academy of Sciences, Goettingen, Germany
• 1999 EMBO Member
• 1998 Freudenberg Award of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Germany
• 1979 2nd price in state-wide competition “Jugend forscht”