Philipp Korber

Prof. Philipp Korber is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology at the Biomedical Center of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich). He leads an independent research group focused on chromatin biology and nucleosome positioning, embedded within the Collaborative Research Center 1064 'Chromatin Dynamics' since 2013. His laboratory has established itself as a leader in developing genome-wide reconstitution approaches to study chromatin remodeling mechanisms.

Prof. Korber's research centers on understanding how DNA sequence is read out to determine nucleosome positioning and how chromatin remodeling enzymes reorganize nucleosomes during different biological states. His lab uses unicellular yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe) as model systems, combining powerful genetic tools with innovative biochemical approaches. A major contribution has been the development of genome-wide in vitro reconstitution methods that allow precise dissection of remodeling mechanisms. His conceptual framework views remodelers as information processing hubs that integrate DNA sequence features and protein inputs to position nucleosomes.

His recent publications demonstrate continued productivity with articles in Nature (2023), Nature Communications (2021), and Cell (2016), among others. His work spans fundamental chromatin mechanisms, method development for nucleosome mapping, and applications to gene regulation at model promoters like the yeast PHO system.

Scientific recognition includes:

• APL Professorship at LMU Munich (2022)
• Habilitation with Venia legendi in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology (2014)
• Editorial Board membership at Molecular and Cellular Biology (2014-2018)
• Associate junior group leader in BioSysNet (2012-2017)
• Member of EU Network of Excellence 'EpiGeneSys' (2011-2015)

Prof. Korber maintains extensive collaborations with researchers across Germany and internationally, including groups at MPI Biophysical Chemistry, EMBL Heidelberg, Technical University of Munich, and Harvard Medical School. His laboratory currently includes at least two PhD students and benefits from the rich research environment of the SFB 1064 network with over 20 chromatin-focused research groups in Munich.