My main motivation is the pure joy of discovery, particularly when it it can impact human health. Formulating a hypothesis, testing it, seeing it all fall apart, brain storming for new ideas, testing them again, and finally having come up with a truly new insight is a thrill. Also, I love to collaborate and work at the interface of different research areas.

Education and Research

2016-Current Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, UC Berkeley

2016-2019 Chair, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, UC Berkeley

2013-2016 Vice Chair: Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, UC Berkeley

2012-2016 Executive Committee Member and Head Graduate Student advisor: Comparative Biochemistry Graduate Group, UC Berkeley

2009-2016 Associate Professor: Dept of Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology, UC
 Berkeley

2007-2009 Assistant Professor: Dept of Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology, University of California
 Berkeley

2001-2007 Associate Staff Scientist: Research Institute, Palo Alto Medical Foundation

2001-2007 Consulting Assistant Professor: GI Department, Stanford University School of Medicine

1996-2001 Postdoctoral Fellow: Whitehead Institute, Laboratory of Harvey F. Lodish

1993-1996 Ph.D.: The Scripps Research Institute / University of Hamburg Institute, Department of Immunology; submitted to the University of Hamburg, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics

1992 M.S. (Diplom): Department of Immunology, University of Hamburg Hamburg, University Hospital Eppendorf

1989 B.S. (Vordiplom): University of Hamburg, Faculty of Biology

Awards and Fellowships

2014-2016 American Diabetes Association Basic Science Award

2004-2009 American Diabetes Association Career Development Award

1998-1999 Merck/MIT postoctoral fellowship award

1996-1998 BASF postdoctoral fellowship award

1994-1996 Graduate students fellowship awarded by the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes

1993 Recipient of an overseas stipend of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes

1990-1992 Fellowship awarded by the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes for the support of gifted students