Prof. Dr. Klaus F.X. Mayer
Research Group Head, Plant Genome and Systems Biology“Deciphering plant genomes - exceeding human genome complexity by far - is fundamental for the development of future crops, future healthy food supply and for deciphering allergen content and interaction with humans. It is at the very basis of a holistic understanding of health.”
“Deciphering plant genomes - exceeding human genome complexity by far - is fundamental for the development of future crops, future healthy food supply and for deciphering allergen content and interaction with humans. It is at the very basis of a holistic understanding of health.”
Academic Pathway & Research Area
Dr. Mayer did a PhD in plant developmental biology and analysed a critical stem cell regulating gene in a plant model organism. After finishing he joined the consortium that was targeting the deciphering of the first plant genome, the genome of Arabidopsis thaliana. At that time a challenging expedition into uncharted territory and involving an exhaustive, globe-spanning consortium. After this milestone achievement the group developed to an world wide influential bioinformatics and plant genomics research group that contributed to a wide variety of important model and crop genomes including the maize and, more recently, the massive cereal genomes of barley and wheat. The group now is focused towards the analysis of a variety of pan-genomes and orphan crop genomes for various human consumption.
Fields of Work and Expertise
Big DataGenomics Bioinformatics comparative and translational genomics
Professional Background
Honorary Professorship Plant Genomes and Systems Biology, Technical University Munich (TUM), Germany
Director Research Group “Plant Genome and Systems Biology (PGSB)”, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health
PhD Thesis Developmental Biology of Plants, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen Titel: ‘Cloning and Expression Analysis of the Meristemgene Wuschel in Arabidopsis thaliana’
Highlight Publications
See all2020 Nature Genetics Nature Genetics 52, 950–957 (2020)
European maize genomes highlight intraspecies variation in repeat and gene content
2018 Science Science, 361(6403). pii: eaar7191. doi: 10.1126/science.aar7191 (2018)
Shifting the limits in wheat research and breeding using a fully annotated reference genome
2000 Nature Nature 408, 796-815 (2000)
Sequence and analysis of the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana
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