Ralf Zimmer

Prof. Dr. Ralf Zimmer is a Full Professor (C4) of Practical Informatics with a focus on Bioinformatics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). He leads the Bioinformatics Teaching and Research Unit within the Institute of Computer Science. His academic journey includes a PhD from the Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel (summa cum laude) and postdoctoral research at the National Cancer Institute (USA) and Stanford University. His research integrates computational methods with biological systems, emphasizing systems biology, RNA processing, and viral-host interactions.

Education: Diplom in Computer Science (1986), PhD (1990). Key roles include Director of the DFG Bioinformatics Center Munich and spokesperson for the RECESS Research Training Group. His work spans protein interaction networks, transcriptome analysis, and computational tools like ContextMap and FERN.

Research interests include bioinformatics, systems biology, RNA dynamics, and viral infection mechanisms. Over 30 students have completed theses under his supervision, contributing to fields like alternative splicing and computational modeling.

Publications highlight innovations in RNA-seq analysis, proteotoxic stress responses, and viral regulatory networks. Awards include the 1990 Dissertation Prize from CAU Kiel. He advises on grants and leads interdisciplinary teams in Munich’s Bioinformatics programs and international collaborations.