2020: Full Professor (tenured)
2016: Heisenberg professor
2012: Habilitation (Physiological Chemistry)
since 2008: Independent Group Leader, Institute for Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Münster University, Germany
2003-2008: Group Leader, Institute for General Zoology and Genetics, Münster University, Germany. Laboratory of Prof. Dr. Martin Bähler. Title of Projects: Neural Heparan Sulfate in Brain Development and Function (SFB492: Extracellular matrix: Biogenesis, Assembly and Cellular Interactions) and: Generation and Analysis of Mice made Deficient in Unconventional Myosins IXa (myr7) and IXb (myr5).
1999-2003: Postdoctoral Fellow, Glycobiology Research and Training Center, UCSD, USA. Laboratory Dr. Jeffrey D. Esko. Title of project: Analysis of Knockout Mice in Heparan Sulfate Synthesizing GlcNAc N-Deacetylase/N-Sulfotransferase (NDST) Isoenzymes 1-4” (As recipient of grants # GR 1748/1-1 and GR 1748/1-2 of the German Research Council)
1998-1999: Postdoctoral Fellow, Glycobiology Research and Training Center, UCSD, USA. Laboratory of Dr. Leland D. Powell. Title of project: “Role of Protein Kinase C in the Phosphorylation of CD33” (10/1998-4/1999 as recipient of grant # GR 1748/1-1 of the German Research Council)
1995-1998: Graduate Student, Biomedical Research Institute Borstel,Germany
Molecular and Biochemical Allergology Group, Dr. W.-M. Becker. Title of project: "Cloning and Characterization of the Recombinant Grass Group I Allergen of Phleum pratense, Phl p 1, in the Pichia pastoris Expression System"

Education

1992: On-the-job-training at the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Quezon City, and at the University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines (DAAD-Fellow)
1987-1994: Diploma, Title of thesis: Enzymatic and Molecular Properties of the Clostridium tertium Sialidase, conducted in the Laboratory of Dr. Roland Schauer, Kiel University, Germany

Fellowships and Grants

2024: DFG grant GR1748/7-3
2021: DFG grant SFB1348 (A08) (2022-2026)
2019: DFG grant (Normalverfahren GR1748/7-3 / MA8629/1-3 (2019-2022))
2018: DFG grant SFB1348 (A08) (2018-2021)
2016/2019: DFG Heisenberg Professorship (GR1748/8-1 & GR1748/9-1 (2017-2022)
2015: DFG grant (Normalverfahren GR1748/7-1)
2013: DFG grant (Normalverfahren GR1748/5-1)
2012: Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience: Project grant 120010
2012: DFG grant (Normalverfahren GR1748/4-1)
2011, 2015: IMF project grants
2010: IMF equipment grant
2009: Maria Möller Stiftung (Project grant)
2009: IMF project grant
2009: IMF equipment grants
2008: Heinrich-Hertz fellowship
2008: Indo-German International Research Training group “Molecular and Cellular Glyco-Sciences” (DFG-funded, GRK1549/1)
2005, 2008: SFB 492 Project Grants (B15)
2004: DFG Grant (Normalverfahren GR1748/3-1), transferred into the SFB492
2003: Research Grant by the "Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität zu Münster"
1998: DFG fellowship (Forschungsstipendium) GR1748/1-1 and GR1748/2-1
1997: EAACI travel fellowship
1992: DAAD travel fellowship

Reviewer function

Reviewer for Developmental Cell, Nature Chemical Biology, Development, JBC, JCB, eLIFE, Nature Communications, Brain Research, Matrix Biology, Clinical and Experimental Allergy, IOVS, Stem cells, Genomics, Faseb Journal, Developmental Dynamics, Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets, Glycobiology, FEBS, Cell and Tissue Research, PNAS, Mechanisms of Development and Phytochemistry.

Memberships

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurogenetik
American Society for Matrix Biology
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Bindegewebsforschung