Research

Hauptarbeitsgebiete: Zellbiologie, insbesondere biochemische und funktionelle Organisation des Zytoskeletts (Darstellung der dreidimensionalen Organisation des Zellskeletts mittels Hochspannungselektronenmikroskopie); molekulare Motoren (Charakterisierung des molekularen Motors Kinesin in Pilzen; molekulare Grundlage der Determination der Bewegungsrichtung des Kinesins); Biogenese, Aufbau und Funktion des Zentrosoms (Rolle des Zentrosoms bei der Zellpolarität und Zellbewegung); Zellmotilität und zelluläre Dynamik; Klärung der molekularen Grundlagen des intrazellulären Transports (Charakterisierung des Organellentrasnportes in vitro)

Career

• since 1990 Professor at the University Munich, Germany
• 1982-1990 Professor at University of California, Berkeley, USA
• 1980 Habilitation at the University of Frankfurt, Germany
• 1975 Ph.D. at the University of Frankfurt, Germany
• 1969-1972 Studies at the University of Frankfurt, Germany

Projects

• 1999 Co-organizer of the priority programme “Molecular Motors“ of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 1997 Founding Coordinator of SFB 413 of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 1995-1999 Volkswagen Foundation
• 1992-1995 European Union Collaborative Research Grant
• 1988-1990 Director, West Coast Facility for High Voltage Electron Microscopy
• 1984-1990 Director, Electron Microscope Laboratory, University of California, USA

Functions

• since 2010 Council, German Society for Cell Biology
• 2001-2008 Head, Apparateausschuss of the DFG (German Research Association)
• 2004-2008 Council, Max Planck Unit for Structural Molecular Biology, Hamburg, Germany
• 2001-2005 President, German Society for Cell Biology
• 1997-2001 Council, German Society for Cell Biology
• 1997 Founding Coordinator of SFB 413,
• 1994-2006 Council, European Cytoskeletal Forum
• 1993-1998 Head, Council of the Max-Planck-Institute for Cell Biology, Heidelberg, Germany

Honours and Memberships

• 2007 Carl Zeiss Award, German Society for Cell Biology
• 2006 Elected Member of EMBO
• 1999 Elected Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 1996-2000 Rothschild Fellow, Institut Curie, Paris, France
• 1988-1990 Faculty Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, USA
• 1988 Philips Distinguished Lecturer, Haverford College, USA
• 1978-1982 Heisenberg Fellowship
• 1973-1975 Doctoral Fellowship