News
LOEWE top professorship at the Philipps University of Marburg for microbiologist Dr. Katharina Höfer
Dr. Katharina Höfer, an expert in microbiology, has been awarded a top LOEWE professorship at the Philipps University of Marburg. To research the role of RNA modifications in biology and newer mechanisms of gene regulation, the LOEWE research funding program of the state of Hesse is providing around 2.8 million euros over a period of five years.
“Dr. Katharina Höfer and her team are on the trail of new biomolecules. With their cutting-edge research, they are working on fundamentally new tools for regulating cellular processes. In the long term, this could lead to next-generation RNA therapeutics,” says Science Minister Timon Gremmels. “After successfully acquiring one of the prestigious ERC Starting Grants in 2023, Dr. Höfer will now further sharpen the strategic profile of Phillips University Marburg with the LOEWE top professorship.”
Dr. Höfer investigates how RNA modifications influence the global carbon cycle and how they can be used to develop efficient synthetic carbon fixation pathways. Her research on NAD-RNA also has potential for applications in medicine, vaccine development and pharmaceutical technology.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Nauss, President of Philipps-Universität Marburg, is also delighted: “Katharina Höfer's pioneering and highly innovative scientific achievement is a great asset for the University of Marburg. With her interdisciplinary orientation, she builds bridges as a researcher and strengthens the strategic profile of Philipps-Universität Marburg with her outstanding basic research at the interface of three areas: 'Microbiology, Biodiversity and Climate', 'Inflammation, Immunology, Tumor Biology' and 'Virology and Infection Biology'. We are delighted that, with the support of the state's LOEWE program, we have succeeded in retaining such a committed and already internationally renowned young top scientist at the University of Marburg.”
After studying molecular biotechnology, Katharina Höfer completed her doctorate at the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology at Heidelberg University in 2017. Since 2020, she has headed a junior research group at the Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), previously the LOEWE Center SYNMIKRO, at the Philipps University of Marburg and a Max Planck Research Group “Bacterial Epitranscriptomics” at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg.