26.08.1951  

Born in Münster/Germany

1970-75

Study of Chemistry and Biology at the Universities of Gießen and Münster

1975-78

PhD with Prof. Dr. B. Franck, Institut of Organic Chemistry, Münster

1978-79

Post-Doc with Prof. Sir D.H.R. Barton at the Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles of the C.N.R.S. in Gif-sur-Yvette, Paris, France

1984

Habilitation, Venia legendi for Organic Chemistry, University of Münster

1986/87

Chairs offered from the Universities of Vienna and Würzburg

since 1987

Professor (Chair I), Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Würzburg

1998

Position offered as a director at the Leibniz Institute for Plant Biochemistry in Halle/Saale (turned down)

2002-2006

Liaison Professor ("Vertrauensdozent") of the Fonds der Chemischen Industrie for the University of Würzburg

2003-2009

Liaison Professor of the DFG (German Research Foundation) for the University of Würzburg

1999:

Prize for Good Teaching, Free State of Bavaria

2000:

Eli Lilly Research Laboratories Lecturer

2000:

JSPS Invitation Fellowship for Research in Japan

2006:

Adolf-Windaus Lecture and Medal

2006:

Doctor honoris causa, Université de Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

2007:

Paul-J.-Scheuer Award for Marine Biotechnology

2008: 

Honorary Guest Professor, Peking University, Beijing, China

2012:

Doctor honoris causa, Université Catholique du Graben (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

2012:

Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts

2012:

Médaille du Mérite Civique 1ére Classe (Civic Medal First Class) in Gold of the Congolese People

2012:

Doctor honoris causa, Université Officielle de Ruwenzori (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

2012:

Honorary Professor, Jinan University, Guangzhou (People's Republic of China)

• Group leader/coordinator

since 2003

Speaker and coordinator of the Collaborative Research Centre SFB 630 „Recognition, Preparation, and Functional Analysis of Agents against Infectious Diseases“

since 2010

Coordinator of the project "Re-installment of Excellence at the University of Kinshasa: Support for the Bachelor’s program" (Foundation Else-Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung)

since 2011

Coordinator of the project "Re-installment of Excellence at the University of Kinshasa: Support for the Master’s program" (Foundation Else-Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung)

since 2012          

Coordinator of the project "The Scholarship System BEBUC, a Unique Concept for the Sustainable Re-installment of Excellence at Congolese Universities" (Else-Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung)

• Project leader in networks - a selection

2004-2012

Sonderforschungsbereich (Collaborative Research Centre) SFB 567 „Mechanism of Interspecific Interactions of Organisms“

since 2009

Klinische Forschergruppe (Clinical Research Unit) KFO 216 „Characterization of the Oncogenic Signaling Network in Multiple Myeloma: Development of Targeted Therapies”

• Decisional member of national and international institutions

since 2009

Chairman of the DECHEMA Committee "Low-Molecular Bioactive Compounds";

since 2002

Chairman of the Program Committee of the Annual Irsee Natural Products Meetings ("Irseer Naturstofftage");

Work and Membership in University Committees (a selection):
Standing Committee of the University for Strategic Plannings (since 1991);
Senate of the University (2001-2004, and since 2009; since 2011: Vice Chairman);
University Council (since 2009);
Dean/Vice-Dean of the Faculty (2000-2004)

• Empowerment: design and initiation of structures

since 1991

Initiator of the Mini-Symposia "Natural Products: Chemistry, Biology, and Ecology": Natural Products Chemistry Workshops for PhD students, twice per year, involving the Universities of Bayreuth, Leipzig, Bonn, and Vienna, the Leibniz Institutes for Plant Biochemistry in Halle and for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI) in Jena, and the Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena (more than 40 meetings so far)

2006-2009

Initiator and Founding Speaker of the ‘Africa Circle at the University of Würzburg’, with scientists from all ten faculties (today 'Forum Afrikazentrum')

2003-2012

Initiator of scientific collaborations, partnership programs, and official university cooperations with the Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN, 2003), with the University of Nairobi (2009), with the Université Catholique du Graben (UCG) in Butembo (2010), and with six further universities, and three high-schools and one primary school in the Congo (2012)

since 2008

Initiator and Head of an Excellence Scholarship Program (BEBUC) in the Congo (presently 69 scholars!)

since 2009

Foundation President of the NGO “Support for the University of Kinshasa” (“Förderverein Uni Kinshasa”)

• Expertise in analytical, synthetic, computational, and medicinal chemistry

(more than 660 publications and patents)