Name Ekkehard Bautz | ||
Prof. Dr. Ekkehard Karl Friedrich Bautz is a molecular biologist, chair of Institute of Molecular Genetics at the University of Heidelberg.
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Biography
He was born September, 24th 1933 in Konstanz, Germany. After studying chemistry at Freiburg University and Zürich University, at the age of 26, he emigrated to the USA and later became a US citizen. In 1961, he obtained his Doctorate in Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He did postdoctoral work with a fellowship awarded by the Damon Runyon Memorial Fund for Cancer Research, at the University of Illinois, USA, and in 1962 became Assistant Professor at the Institute of Microbiology, at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA. In 1964, he participated in the Evolving Genes and Proteins symposium a landmark event in the history of molecular evolution. In 1966, he was promoted to associate professor at the same institution. In 1970, he was appointed full professor there, but chose to return to Germany in the same year to become chair of the Institute of Molecular Genetics at the University of Heidelberg. His most important discovery is that of sigma factor, the first known transcription factor
Scientific work
He developed methods for the isolation of messenger RNA, and continued research on transcription. Later, he focused on novel selection methods, in particular phage display and the generation of recombinant antibodies
In 1981, he initiated the Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), in Heidelberg, where he served, together with the chair of microbiology, as acting director (from 1983–85)
Memberships and Professional Activities
Bautz was on the editorial board of the Journal of Virology from 1966-1970, and of Molecular and General Genetics from 1971-2000. He was chairman of the German Genetics Society from 1979-1981, and Board Member of the German Cancer Research Centre from 1978-1983. In 1994, he was appointed to the Zenralkommission für Biologische Sicherheit (ZKBS), advising the German Government on biological safety of genetically engineered organisms as a board member. He retired from the Commission in 2000.
He founded one of the first biotech startups (Progen GmbH, in 1983 together with Werner Franke and two other scientists from Heidelberg. He is also a cofounder of Peptide Specialty Laboratories (PSL) and acted as general manager of Multimetrix GmbH from 2002-2007.