Feb 15, 2019
Prof. Michael Brand is the new institute director of the CRTD
Prof. Dr. Michael Brand is the new Director of the Center for Regenerative Therapies (CRTD) at TU Dresden. He succeeds Prof. Ezio Bonifacio, who has been director of the institute since 2016, effective January 1, 2019. Prof. Brand was already founding director and spokesperson of the CRTD from 2005 to 2014 and director of the Biotechnology Center of TU Dresden from 2005 to 2012. He has been professor of Molecular Developmental Genetics at TU Dresden since 2002. In 2016, he was awarded the Order of Merit 1st Class of the Federal Republic of Germany for his outstanding scientific achievements in the fields of stem cell research and developmental biology.
Prof. Ezio Bonifacio, PhD & Prof. Dr. Michael Brand
His current research focuses on the development and regeneration of the brain of vertebrates. In contrast to mammals, zebrafish have the extraordinary ability to regenerate their brain after injuries, with the help of neural stem cells, as Prof. Brand and his team discovered. He is currently investigating how these stem cells enable the regeneration of the brain and retina in zebrafish and what the difference is to genetically very similar organisms such as mice or humans.
After his studies at the University of Cologne and Harvard University, Prof. Brand worked at scientific institutes of the University of Cologne, University of California, San Francisco, the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen, the University of Heidelberg, the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, as well as Oxford University. "The 21st century is often referred to as the century of biology - the progress of knowledge is phenomenal! The CRTD is an outstanding institute that combines excellent basic research in the fields of stem cells, tissue and organ regeneration with applied research that reaches out into hospitals. Together, we discover principles of regeneration and translate them into innovative therapies - we work on completely new and truly 'regenerative' approaches to cure widespread diseases such as diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases or blindness," says Prof. Brand.