Altuna Akalin awarded professorship
Dr. Altuna Akalin, Group Leader of the Bioinformatics and Omics Data Science Platform at the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology of the Max Delbrück Center, has been awarded a W2 professorship of Bioinformatics and Health Data Science by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The tenured position, which begins July 1, 2026, recognizes his contributions to computational biology and data-driven biomedical research and establishes a new pathway for academic collaboration between the center and Germany’s leading university medical center.
“This new position will help strengthen ties between our team and clinical researchers to facilitate more direct application of our research to solve clinical problems,” he says.
Akalin’s research harnesses advanced bioinformatics, machine learning and multi-omics methodologies to decode complex biological systems and disease mechanisms. His group develops computational tools and analytical frameworks that enable genomic and epigenomic data to be integrated and better interpreted.
His work has already had an impact and been recognized in the field of oncology where deep learning-based platforms developed in his lab are helping clinicians diagnose cancers more precisely and find the best therapeutic options. His research has also been an integral part of broader efforts to understand gene regulatory networks and molecular signatures of disease.
“Artificial Intelligence will play an increasing role in how we study disease, but its impact will depend on careful validation and interdisciplinary collaboration,” Akalin says. “This position now gives us the opportunity to strengthen the link between basic research and clinical application.”
