Maria Leptin Explained

Maria Leptin
Title1:President of the European Research Council
Term Start1:1 November 2021[1]
Predecessor1:Jean-Pierre Bourguignon (interim)[2] [3]
Title2:Director of the European Molecular Biology Organization
Term Start2:1 January 2010[4] [5]
Term End2:30 October 2021
Predecessor2:Hermann Bujard[6] [7]
Successor2:Fiona Watt[8] [9] [10]
Birth Date:[11]
Birth Place:Hamburg, Germany[12]
Alma Mater:Basel Institute for Immunology
Heidelberg University
University of Bonn[13] [14] [15]
Spouse:Jonathan Howard[16]
Children:2[17]
Module:
Embed:yes
Doctoral Advisor:Fritz Melchers[18]
Fields:Developmental biology
Immunology
Workplaces:European Molecular Biology Organization
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
University of Cologne
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Maria Leptin (born 1954) is a German developmental biologist and immunologist, and the current President of the European Research Council. She was the Director of the European Molecular Biology Organization from 2010 to 2021.

Education

Leptin studied mathematics and biology at the University of Bonn and the Heidelberg University.[13] Initially planning to become a teacher, she decided to pursue a PhD in 1979 at the Basel Institute for Immunology after a practical taught by researchers from the Institute.[19] She was supervised by Fritz Melchers[20] and studied B-cell activation and maturation into plasma cells as part of the immune response to infections.[21] She completed her PhD in 1983.[15]

Career

After her PhD, in 1984, Leptin joined Michael Wilcox's group at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge as a postdoctoral fellow. It is here that she became involved in developmental biology, studying the role of position-specific integrins in the embryonic development of Drosophila.[17] [15] [22] [23] In 1988, she became a staff scientist at LMB.[15]

Leptin's years at LMB raised her interest in cell shape, early cell movement and gastrulation,[21] the last of which she began researching in 1989 during her brief stay at Patrick O'Farrell's group at the University of California, San Francisco as a guest scientist.[15] [20] Afterwards she moved to the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen, Germany, leading a research group focused on gastrulation[13] until 1994 when she became a professor at the University of Cologne, Institute of Genetics, a position she is still holding.[24] She is also leading a research group at Cologne,[25] which initially continued her study on gastrulation,[26] [27] but later shifted to the development of the Drosophila respiratory system.[21] [28] Eventually, Leptin started using zebrafish as a model organism to study the innate immune response.[21] [29]

Subsequently, she had two more experiences as a visiting professor, the first at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris in 2001 and the second as visiting scientist at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in UK between 2004 and 2005.[13] [15]

In 2009, Leptin was appointed the Director of the European Molecular Biology Organization,[4] a role she took up in January 2010.[20] She also set up a research group at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, which studies the factors determining cell shape in Drosophila[30] and the in vivo imaging of innate immune response in zebrafish.[31] [32]

Leptin had a stay at the University of Oxford in 2018, where she was a Visiting Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology.[5]

In June 2021, Leptin was appointed as the next President of the European Research Council, starting from 1 October 2021.[13] [33] [34] It was announced in September, however, that she would delay taking up the new role to 1 November.[35] [36]

Other than academic appointments, Leptin was the President of the German Society for Developmental Biology from 1996 to 1997, a member of the Advisory Board of the German Genetics Society from 2008 to 2012, the President of the Initiative for Science in Europe from 2012 to 2017.[15] She was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association from 2004 to 2009 and of the Babraham Institute between 2006 and 2009.[15] She served on the editorial board of Developmental Biology from 1996 to 2001 and Developmental Cell since 2001, as well as a co-editor of Mechanisms of Development and Gene Expression Patterns between 2002 and 2009.[15] She is currently sitting on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics,[37] of the Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore,[38] and of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology,[39] as well as on the University Council of the University of Cologne.[40] She is also one of the directors of the Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Foundation.[41]

Honours and awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Maria LEPTIN . . 26 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211226064609/https://erc.europa.eu/erc_member/maria-leptin . 26 December 2021.
  2. Web site: The Transformative Effect of Science . European Research Council . 31 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131025010/https://erc.europa.eu/news/transformative-effect-science . 31 January 2022 . 6 November 2022.
  3. Schiermeier . Quirin . 'Politicians shouldn't meddle': new chief of Europe's major research funder shares priorities . . 25 October 2021 . 598 . 7882 . 553 . 10.1038/d41586-021-02885-w . 34697478 . 2021Natur.598..553S . 239889147 . free .
  4. Beveridge . Suzanne . 30 September 2009 . Maria Leptin appointed next Director of EMBO . 17 August 2021 . 17 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210817152240/https://idw-online.de/en/news336351 . European Molecular Biology Organization.
  5. Web site: Prof. Dr. Maria Leptin - Academic Career . . 16 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210816151749/http://www.uni-koeln.de/math-nat-fak/genetik/groups/Leptin/lep_cv.htm . 16 August 2021.
  6. Spreading the Spirit of EMBO . . 2010 . 327 . 5962 . 126 . 10.1126/science.1185865 . 20056858 . Leptin . Maria . 2010Sci...327..126L . 206524961 . free .
  7. Book: Ferry . Georgina . EMBO in perspective: A half-century in the life sciences . 2014 . European Molecular Biology Organization . . 978-3-00-046271-9 . 84–85 . 17 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210612005450/https://www.embo.org/documents/anniversary/EMBO50_book.pdf . 12 June 2021 . Hermann Bujard.
  8. 13 July 2021 . Fiona Watt appointed as EMBO Director . 31 January 2022 . 31 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131031550/https://www.embo.org/press-releases/fiona-watt-appointed-as-embo-director/ . European Molecular Biology Organization.
  9. News: Fiona Watt appointed as EMBO Director . 31 January 2022 . . 13 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131093418/https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/fiona-watt-appointed-as-embo-director . 31 January 2022.
  10. 13 July 2021 . EMBL Director General welcomes new EMBO Director . 31 January 2022 . 31 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131093802/https://www.embl.org/news/lab-matters/embl-director-general-welcomes-new-embo-director/ . .
  11. Web site: Curriculum Vitae Prof. Dr. Maria Leptin . . 16 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210816150333/https://www.leopoldina.org/fileadmin/redaktion/Mitglieder/CV_Leptin_Maria_D.pdf . 16 August 2021.
  12. Book: Deichmann . Ute . Wenkel . Simone . Max Delbrück And Cologne: An Early Chapter Of German Molecular Biology . 2007 . . . 978-981-4476-02-7 . 289–305 . Notes on the Contributors.
  13. Web site: Maria LEPTIN . . 17 August 2021 . 1 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210801030945/https://erc.europa.eu/erc_member/maria-leptin.
  14. 30 June 2021 . Maria Leptin appointed next President of the European Research Council . European Research Council . 17 August 2021 . 17 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210817140151/https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_2623.
  15. Web site: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Maria Leptin - Curriculum Vitae . University of Cologne . 19 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210819151026/https://www.cmmc-uni-koeln.de/research/cmmc-researchers/maria-leptin-curriculum-vitae . 19 August 2021.
  16. Aldhous . Peter . Fighting for Day Care at the Lab . Science . 1994 . 263 . 5152 . 1475 . 10.1126/science.263.5152.1475-a . 17776520 . 72263669 . 16 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210816155434/https://science.sciencemag.org/content/263/5152/1475.2 . 16 August 2021.
  17. News: Maria Leptin – the first woman scientist at the head of the renowned EMBO . 16 August 2021 . Baden-Württemberg Healthcare Industry . 14 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210816144555/https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/maria-leptin-the-first-woman-scientist-at-the-head-of-the-renowned-embo . 16 August 2021.
  18. 17 May 2017 . Maria Leptin welcomed as Leopoldina Member . 16 August 2021 . 16 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210816151504/https://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/archive/articles/Maria_Leptin_welcomed_as_Leopoldina_Member.pdf . European Molecular Biology Organization`.
  19. Web site: An interview with Maria Leptin . . 19 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210812142459/https://thenode.biologists.com/an-interview-with-maria-leptin/interview/ . 12 August 2021 . 16 July 2013.
  20. Web site: The EMBO Director . 22 March 2021 . European Molecular Biology Organization . 17 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210817153539/https://www.embo.org/about-embo/leadership-and-governance/maria-leptin/ . 17 August 2021.
  21. Kain . Kristin H. . Embracing new ideas: an interview with Maria Leptin . . 2010 . 3 . 3–4 . 136–137 . 10.1242/dmm.005454 . 20212080 . 196618574 . 19 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210819154808/https://journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/3/3-4/136/2346/Embracing-new-ideas-an-interview-with-Maria-Leptin . 19 August 2021.
  22. Wilcox . Michael . Leptin . Maria . Tissue-specific modulation of a set of related cell surface antigens in Drosophila . Nature . 1985 . 316 . 6026 . 351–354 . 10.1038/316351a0 . 19288611 . 1985Natur.316..351W . 4330028 . 23 August 2021.
  23. Leptin . Maria . Bogaert . Thierry . Lehmann . Ruth . Wilcox . Michael . The function of PS integrins during Drosophila embryogenesis . . 1989 . 56 . 3 . 401–408 . 10.1016/0092-8674(89)90243-2 . 2492451 . 24661684 . 23 August 2021.
  24. Web site: Maria Leptin . . 24 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210720061958/https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Leptin_Maria . 20 July 2021.
  25. Web site: Leptin lab members at the Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne . . 24 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210824155602/http://www.uni-koeln.de/math-nat-fak/genetik/groups/Leptin/lep_peoples.htm . 24 August 2021.
  26. Barrett . Kathy . Leptin . Maria . Settleman . Jeffrey . The Rho GTPase and a putative RhoGEF mediate a signaling pathway for the cell shape changes in Drosophila gastrulation . Cell . 1997 . 91 . 7 . 905–915 . 10.1016/s0092-8674(00)80482-1 . 9428514 . free .
  27. Seher . Thomas C. . Leptin . Maria . Tribbles, a cell-cycle brake that coordinates proliferation and morphogenesis during Drosophila gastrulation . . 2000 . 10 . 11 . 623–629 . 10.1016/s0960-9822(00)00502-9 . 10837248 . free .
  28. Baer . Magdalena M. . Bilstein . Andreas . Leptin . Maria . A clonal genetic screen for mutants causing defects in larval tracheal morphogenesis in Drosophila . . 2007 . 176 . 4 . 2279–2291 . 10.1534/genetics.107.074088 . 17603107 . 1950631 .
  29. Stein . Cornelia . Caccamo . Mario . Laird . Gavin . Leptin . Maria . 2007 . Conservation and divergence of gene families encoding components of innate immune response systems in zebrafish . . 8 . 11 . R251 . 10.1186/gb-2007-8-11-r251 . 18039395 . 2258186 . free .
  30. Rauzi . Matteo . Krzic . Uros . Saunders . Timothy E. . Krajnc . Matej . Ziherl . Primož . Hufnagel . Lars . Leptin . Maria . Embryo-scale tissue mechanics during Drosophila gastrulation movements . . 2015 . 6 . 8677 . 10.1038/ncomms9677 . 26497898 . 4846315 . 2015NatCo...6.8677R .
  31. Web site: Leptin Group . European Molecular Biology Laboratory . 26 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210826144856/https://www.embl.org/groups/leptin/ . 26 August 2021.
  32. Kuri . Paola . Ellwanger . Kornelia . Kufer . Thomas A. . Leptin . Maria . Bajoghli . Baubak . A high-sensitivity bi-directional reporter to monitor NF-κB activity in cell culture and zebrafish in real time . . 2017 . 130 . 3 . 648–657 . 10.1242/jcs.196485 . 27980067 . 9575555 . 31 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210831150614/https://journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/130/3/648/56589/A-high-sensitivity-bi-directional-reporter-to . 31 August 2021. free .
  33. Bartoloni . Mia . 9 July 2021 . Movers and Shakers | 9 July 2021 . . 14 July 2021 . 14 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210714113704/https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/movers-and-shakers-9-july-2021.
  34. Abbott . Alison . Biologist to lead Europe's premier research funder . . 6 July 2021 . 10.1038/d41586-021-01843-w . 34230664 . 235757852 . 19 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210819144223/https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01843-w . 19 August 2021.
  35. News: Naujokaitytė . Goda . New ERC president to take up post a month later than planned . 20 October 2021 . Science|Business . 21 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211020145343/https://sciencebusiness.net/news/new-erc-president-take-post-month-later-planned . 20 October 2021.
  36. Web site: Maria LEPTIN . European Research Council . 20 October 2021 . 20 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211020145344/https://erc.europa.eu/erc_member/maria-leptin.
  37. Web site: Scientific Advisory Board . . 3 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210513065401/https://www.mpi-cbg.de/institute/advisory-boards/ . 13 May 2021.
  38. Web site: MBI's Scientific Advisory Board . . 3 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210520112138/https://www.mbi.nus.edu.sg/about-mbi/scientific-advisory-board/ . 20 May 2021.
  39. Web site: Scientific Advisory Board . . 6 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210906145235/https://www.oeaw.ac.at/imba/scientific-advisory-board . 6 September 2021.
  40. Web site: University Council . University of Cologne . 3 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210812122738/https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/university/organization/university-council . 12 August 2021.
  41. Web site: Directors . Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Foundation . 3 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210903162621/https://cnv-stiftung.de/en/directors . 3 September 2021.
  42. Web site: Maria Leptin . European Molecular Biology Organization . 2 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210902140708/https://people.embo.org/profile/maria-leptin . 2 September 2021.
  43. Web site: Korrespondierende Mitglieder anzeigen . . 2 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210418173304/http://www.awk.nrw.de/akademie/klassen/naturmedizin/korrespondierende-mitglieder.html . 18 April 2021.
  44. Web site: Maria Leptin . German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina . 2 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210902141339/https://www.leopoldina.org/en/members/list-of-members/list-of-members/member/Member/show/maria-leptin/ . 2 September 2021.
  45. Web site: Professor Maria Leptin FMedSci . . 2 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210902142337/https://acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/fellow/Professor-Maria-Leptin-0025644 . 2 September 2021.
  46. Web site: Maria Leptin . 11 May 2022 . The Royal Society . en-gb.

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