Franz-Ulrich Hartl

Professor Franz-Ulrich Hartl is a Director at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany, leading the Department of Cellular Biochemistry. His research focuses on molecular chaperones, particularly the GroEL/GroES system, which ensures proper protein folding and prevents aggregation linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s. He has contributed to understanding how chaperonins create protected environments for protein folding and repair misfolded proteins.

His work has been recognized through his inclusion in the 2024 list of Highly Cited Researchers and participation in the 2020 Breakthrough Prize Symposium. The department’s research employs advanced techniques such as cryo-electron tomography, hydrogen-deuterium exchange, and mass spectrometry to dissect conformational transitions in protein folding.

Scientific Awards

• Highly Cited Researcher 2024
• Breakthrough Prize Symposium Participant 2020