Curriculum vitae

Prof. Dr. Dierk Niessing

W3 Professor m.L. (full professor), head of Institute of
Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University (main employment)
Principal Investigator at Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich

1996: Diploma in Biology, University Göttingen, Germany.
2000: Doctorate degree - Topic: Drosophila embryogenesis. Max-Planck Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. H. Jäckle.
2000-2002: Postdoctoral Fellow at Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. S.K. Burley.
2003 – 2005: Staff Scientist / Postdoctoral Fellow at SGX-Pharmaceuticals INC (company for structure-guided drug development), San Diego, USA. Supervisor: Dr. S.K. Burley.
Since 2005, Principal Investigator at Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Munich, Germany (tenure in 2009).
2013: Habilitation at Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, LMU München, Germany (Topic: Biochemie).
2015 – 2017: W2 Professor at Institute of Anatomy III, LMU München, Germany.
Since 2017: Full professor (W3 m.L.) and institute head at Ulm University

2026: PURA Hero Award by PURA Syndrome Foundation (USA) - awarded to Niessing group for constant support of families with PURA syndrome
Since 2023: Honorary member of patient organization PURA Syndrome Deutschland e.V.
2018: Care-for-Rare Science Award.
2005-2011: Helmholtz-University Young Investigator.
2000-2002: Fellow of the Human Frontier Science Programme.
2000: Elisabeth-Gateff PhD Award of the German Genetics Society.
2000: Otto-Hahn Medaille of the Max-Planck Society for outstanding PhD thesis.
2000: PhD awarded with summa cum laude.
1996-1999: PhD Fellow of the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds.

Since June 2025: Sample Custodian of PURA Biobank (https://www.helmholtz-munich.de/en/pura-biobank).
2018 to 2025: Coordinator of the development team to set up a Biobank for samples from PURA-Syndrome patients (ethics approval: 2021 & 2025). Launched in 2025.
2016 - 2024: coordinator of the DFG-funded Research Unit FOR2333 “Macromolecular complexes in mRNA localization”, including hosting of two international conferences in 2018 and 2022.
2019 to 2022: Coordinator of the Global Research Network (GRN) for PURA research in cooperation with the US-based patient advocacy group PURA Syndrome Foundation (https://purasyndrome.org/).

Since 2024: Scientific advisor to the non-profit patient advocacy group PURA Syndrome Foundation USA (https://purasyndrome.org/).
Since 2023: Scientific advisor to the non-profit patient advocacy group PURA Foundation Australia (https://www.purafoundation.au/).
Since 2023: Support of PURA Syndrome families in Germany at national meetings and educating families about the disorder.
2022 – 2023: Founding member and supporter of the establishment of the German non-profit patient advocacy group PURA Syndrome Deutschland e.V. (https://pura-deutschland.de/).
Since 2018: Frequent co-organizer of the Annual PURA-Syndrome Conference (North America and Europe/UK) for families with PURA-Syndrome patients and scientists.
Since 2018: scientific contact point for families with PURA-Syndrome in Germany.

Since 2025: Council Member of the German University in Cairo, Egypt.
Since 2025: Main coordinator of new Master’s program Pharmaceutical & Molecular Biotechnology (starting in fall 2026).
Since 2024: Vice Dean of Master’s program Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Ulm University.
Since 2023: Member of Doctoral Committee Dr. biol.hum. at Med. Faculty, Ulm University.
2021 to 2022: Member of strategic planning committee of Biology Dept., Ulm University.
Since 2019: Head of the examination committee of Master’s program Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Ulm University.
Since 2019: Member of study commission and selection committee of Master’s program Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Ulm University.

Master Pharmaceutical & Molecular Biotechnology (PMB; starting WS26/27): main responsibility for establishment of new Master’s course at Ulm University (successor of PBT). Lectures and practical courses on Biologicals, new therapeutic modalities, structural biology, drug development, RNA biology, high-throughput data analyses and AI.
Master Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (PBT; closing in fall 2026): main responsibility for this cooperative Master’s course at Ulm University. Lectures and practical courses on Biologicals, new therapeutic modalities, structural biology, drug development, and RNA biology.
Master Industrial Biotechnology (IBT): lectures and practical courses on structural biology.
Bachelor Biochemistry and Bachelor Biology: lecture in Biochemistry of Cellular Metabolism.
Before 2018: teaching in the areas of neuro-anatomy and human organs (2015-2017: Med. Faculty LMU Munich), biochemistry (2012-2013: Chemistry Dept. TU München) and developmental biology and structural biology at the Gene Center LMU Munich (2006-2011).