Professor Thomas Sommer

Thomas Sommer is not only a highly regarded researcher, but also has a wealth of experience in science management. Since 1993, he has headed an MDC research group that investigates the mechanisms of protein quality control. In 2009, Sommer took on a professorship for Cellular Biochemistry at the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. He has received several awards for his scientific work. In 2003, he was elected a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), and in 2012, he received the Science Prize of the German Technion Society. Since 2017, he has also been a Lady Davis Visiting Professor at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.

Sommer is on the Board of Directors of the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) and the EU-LIFE alliance. He also sits on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Center of Medical Biotechnology of the University of Duisburg-Essen and is a member of the Committee of Inquiry on Allegations of Scientific Misconduct of the German Research Foundation (DFG). Since 2004, he has held the position of Deputy Scientific Director of the MDC. The 59-year-old previously served as interim head of the Center from fall 2014 to spring 2016.