Klaus Mayer

Klaus Mayer is a Professor and Research Group Head at the Plant Genome and Systems Biology (PGSB) department of Helmholtz Munich, while also holding an honorary professorship at Technical University Munich (TUM). His work focuses on decoding complex plant genomes to address agricultural and health challenges.

• Current role: Research Group Head, PGSB
• Academic affiliation: Honorary Professor, TUM (2015)
• Key collaborations: Global interdisciplinary teams

His research spans plant genomics, bioinformatics, and pan-genome analysis, with a focus on crop improvement and allergen characterization. Early work included sequencing the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, followed by major contributions to maize, barley, and wheat genomes. Recent projects analyze orphan crops and pan-genomes for food security applications.

Publications demonstrate expertise in comparative genomics, translational genomics, and handling structurally complex loci in cereal crops. Key journals include Nature Genetics, Science, and Nature.

• 2020: European maize genome analysis
• 2018: Wheat reference genome project
• 2000: Pioneering Arabidopsis genome sequencing

Scientific recognition includes his 2015 TUM Honorary Professorship. His team emphasizes international collaboration, mirroring "champions league" dynamics, to tackle challenges in genome assembly and functional genomics.