ProfessorThomasF.MeyerbecomesseniorprofessorattheFacultyofMedicineattheCAU
Renownedinfectologistlaunchesnew"InfectionOncology"researchgroupinKiel
ProfessorThomasF.MeyerhasbecomeanewseniorprofessorattheFacultyofMedicineatKielUniversity(CAU).CAUVicePresidentofResearchProf.KarinSchwarz,togetherwiththeDeanoftheFacultyofMedicine,Prof.JoachimThiery,andthePMIspokesperson,Prof.StefanSchreiber,thisTuesday(1September2020)presentedtheinternationallyrenownedinfectologistandcancerresearcherwiththecertificateofappointment.Thisseniorprofessorship,lastingfiveyears,honorsselected,outstandingindividualswithnationallyandinternationallyacclaimedresearchachievementsorparticularteachingachievements.MeyerwasmostrecentlyDirectoroftheMolecularBiologyDepartmentattheMaxPlanckInstituteforInfectionBiology(MPIIB)inBerlin,andisnowlaunchinganewworkinggroupwithafocuson"InfectionOncology"attheInstituteofClinicalMolecularBiology(IKMB)attheCAUandtheUKSH,andwillconducthisresearchwithintheClusterofExcellence"PrecisionMedicineinChronicInflammation"(PMI).
Meyer'sscientificfocusareaslieinresearchingthemolecularmechanismsofbacterialandviralinfections,theparticularimportanceofhostcellsduringaninfection,thedevelopmentoforallivevaccinesandtheconceptof"host-directedtherapy",aswellasunderstandingtheroleofbacterialpathogensinthepathogenesisofcancer.ManyofthediscoveriesfromMeyer'slaboratoryarenowincludedinstandardtextbooks.Meyeristhisyear'swinneroftheRobertKochGoldMedal,oneofthetopscientificawardsinthefieldofinfectionmedicine.TheRobertKochprizewinnersenjoyhighinternationalesteem.ManyofthemhavesubsequentlybeenhonoredwiththeNobelPrize.Withrecently-awardedfundingfromtheEuropeanResearchCouncil(ERCAdvancedGrant),MeyercancontinuehispioneeringresearchontheroleofinfectionsinthepathogenesisofcancerinhumansinKielinthecomingyears.
ThomasF.MeyerstudiedbiologyatHeidelbergUniversity.In1979hereceivedhisdoctoratethereinnaturalsciences,graduatingwithdistinction('summacumlaude').In1980,hemovedtoColdSpringHarborLaboratoryinNewYorkasapost-doc,whereheteamedupwithMagdalenaSotoinitiateaprojectforresearchingthemolecularmechanismsoftheantigenicvariationofbacterialsurfaceproteins.Hecontinuedthishighly-acclaimedworkatthePublicHealthResearchInstituteofNewYorkCityin1981,andthenfrom1982onwardsattheMaxPlanckInstituteforMedicalResearch.In1983,Meyertookonthepositionofgroupleaderatthenewly-foundedCenterforMolecularBiologyatHeidelbergUniversity(ZMBH),andin1985wasappointedasresearchgroupleaderattheMaxPlanckInstituteforDevelopmentalBiologyinTbingen.In1990,hewasappointeddirectoroftheindependentDepartmentofInfectionBiologyattheMaxPlanckInstituteforDevelopmentalBiologyinTbingen,whichheleduntiltheyear2000.In1994,hewasfoundingdirectorofthenewMaxPlanckInstituteforInfectionBiology(MPIIB)inBerlin,asheadoftheMolecularBiologyDepartment.Heisinvolvedinvariousorganizations,includingservingasanelectedmemberoftheEuropeanMolecularBiologyOrganization(EMBO)since1989andtheGermanNationalAcademyofSciencesLeopoldinasince2003.
TheVicePresidentforResearchProf.KarinSchwarz(2ndfromleft)congratulatedProf.ThomasF.Meyer(2ndfromright)tohisstartoftheseniorprofessorshiptogetherwiththeDeanoftheMedicalFacultyProf.JoachimThiery(rightinthepicture)andPMIspeakerProf.StefanSchreiber(leftinthepicture).
TherenownedinfectionologistProfessorThomasF.MeyerwillbethenewSeniorProfessorattheMedicalFacultyoftheCAU.
AbouttheClusterofExcellencePMI
TheClusterofExcellence"PrecisionMedicineinChronicInflammation"(PMI)isbeingfundedfrom2019to2025throughtheGermanExcellenceStrategy(ExStra).Itsucceedsthe"InflammationatInterfacesCluster,whichwasalreadyfundedintwoperiodsoftheExcellenceInitiative(2007-2018).Around300membersfromeightinstitutionsatfourlocationsareinvolved:Kiel(KielUniversity,UniversityMedicalCenterSchleswig-Holstein(UKSH),MuthesiusUniversityofFineArtsandDesign,KielInstitutefortheWorldEconomy(IfW),LeibnizInstituteforScienceandMathematicsEducation(IPN)),Lbeck(UniversityofLbeck,UniversityMedicalCenterSchleswig-Holstein(UKSH)),Pln(MaxPlanckInstituteforEvolutionaryBiology)andBorstel(ResearchCenterBorstel-LeibnizLungCenter).
Thegoalistotranslateinterdisciplinaryresearchfindingsonchronicinflammatorydiseasesofbarrierorganstohealthcaremoreintensively,aswellastofulfilpreviouslyunsatisfiedneedsofthepatients.Threepointsareimportantinthecontextofsuccessfultreatment,andarethereforeattheheartofPMIresearch:theearlydetectionofchronicinflammatorydiseases,thepredictionofdiseaseprogressionandcomplications,andthepredictionofindividualresponsestotreatment.
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ClusterofExcellence "PrecisionMedicineinChronicInflammation"
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Christian-Albrechts-Platz4,24118Kiel,Germany
Contact:SonjaPetermann
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