Maria Sokolova

Maria Sokolova is a Lise Meitner Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany, where she heads the Bacteriophages research group. Her work focuses on the molecular mechanisms of bacteriophages, including RNA polymerases, DNA translocation, and gene translation, with applications in biotechnology and evolution.

Education:

• Biophysics, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Russia
• PhD in Molecular Biology, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Russia

Her research explores the unique properties of phage RNA polymerases compared to cellular counterparts, leveraging cryo-electron microscopy and structural biology techniques to uncover novel biotechnological tools.

Scientific Awards:

• Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize 2025 (DFG Research Award for young scientists, 200,000 euros)