Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, born on October 20, 1942 in Magdeburg, is a renowned German developmental biologist known for her groundbreaking work in the field of genetic control of early embryonic development.
After graduating in biology from the University of Tübingen in 1964, she received her doctorate in genetics from the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen in 1973. She then continued her research at various renowned institutions, including the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg.
Her groundbreaking work began in the 1970s and 1980s, when she worked intensively on genetic mechanisms in fruit flies. Together with Eric Wieschaus and Edward B. Lewis, she discovered a large number of genes that control embryonic development in genetic screens. This work earned her and her colleagues the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1995.
Nüsslein-Volhard continues her work and is also dedicated to promoting women in science. She founded the Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Foundation, which supports young female scientists.
Her life story bears witness to a lifelong dedication to researching the fundamentals of life and a tireless commitment to the advancement of science.
