Professor Dr Peter B. Becker
- Section Genetics/Molecular Biology and Cell Biology
- Location München, Germany
- Election year 2007
Research
The research interest of Peter Becker focuses on the mechanism that governs the activity of genes in cell nuclei of higher organisms. As a group leader at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and, since 1999, as Chairman of the Molecular Biology Department of the University of Munich he studies the role of the packaging of the genetic information in the form of ‘chromatin’ on the activity of the genes. The identification and characterisation in his laboratory of so-called ‘Nucleosome Remodelling’ machines, enzymes that endow chromatin with plasticity, has had a major impact on his field of research.
Career
- since 2008 Acting Director of the Adolf-Butenandt-Institute, Germany
- since 1999 Full Professor (C4/W3) and Head of Molecular Biology Section, Adolf-Butenandt Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany
- 1996-1999 Group leader, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
- 1996 Habilitation at Ruprecht-Karls Universität, Heidelberg, Germany
- 1988-1996 Postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Carl Wu, Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, USA
- 1987-1988 Postdoctoral fellow with Prof. G. Schütz, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- 1987 Ph.D. at Ruprecht-Karls-Universität, Heidelberg, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg
- 1978-1983 Study of Biology, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität,Heidelberg, Germany
Functions
- 2008, 2012 Study section ‘Cell Biology’ of the German Research Council (DFG)
- 2005-2009 Scientific Advisory Board, Fritz Lippmann Institut für Alternsforschung, Jena
- 2005-2007 Selection Committee for the Award of the Heinz-Maier Leibnitz-Prize of the DFG
- 2004-2005 EMBO Long Term Fellowship Committee
- since 2003 Authorized representative of the Medical Faculty for building a Biomedical Centre
- since 2003 Editorial Board, Public Library of Sciences (PLOS) Biology
- since 2002 Editorial Board, EMBO Reports
- 2002-2011 Editorial Board, EMBO Journal
- 2000-2005 Editorial Board, Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB)
- 2000-2004 Steering Committee of the European Forum of Bioethics
- since 1999 Editorial Board, Nucleic Acids Research (NAR)
- 1997-2003 Editor of Chromosoma (Springer Verlag, Heidelberg)
- 1997-2203 Executive Editor of Nucleic Acids Research (Oxford Univ. Press)
Projects
- 2011-2014 Network of Excellence “EpigeneSys“; associated member¸selected representative of the associated members
- since 2007 Founding Member and Member of the Board of the Excellence Cluster “Munich Center for Integrated Protein Science“
- 2004-2010 Network of Excellence “The Epigenome” (founding member)
- since 2002 Spokesperson of the Transregio 5 DFG Research Network
- 1998-2001 Coordinator of the EU TMR Network ERBFMRXCT98-191, Gene regulation by Chromatin
Honours and Memberships
- 2011 ERC Advanced Investigator Grant awarded
- 2007 Member of the German Academy of Science Leopoldina
- 2007 Member of Academia Europaea
- 2005 Gottfried-Wilhelm Leibniz Prize of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
- 2000 Member of EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organisation)
- 1990 Postdoctoral fellowship, Fogarty Society at NIH
- 1988 Postdoctoral fellowship, German Research Foundation (DFG)
- 1988 Richtzenhain-Prize for Cancer Research, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- 1987 Young Investigators Award, "Society for Molecular Biology", Heidelberg, Germany