• Study of Biology at the Universities Konstanz and Kiel
• 1983: Diploma thesis at Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel, on the larger foraminifer Herterostegina depressa (Prof. Dr. R. Röttger)
• 1987: PhD at the Max-Planck-Institute for Plant Breeding, Cologne, and University of Cologne. PhD –thesis: C3-, C3-C4- and C4-Photosynthesis in different Panicum-species (Prof. Dr. F. Salamini, Prof. Dr. J. Willenbrink)
• 1999: Habilitation and venia legendi in „Botany“ at the University of Hamburg
• Since 1993: Research Assistant at the Institute of Forest Genetics, Großhansdorf
• 1996-2001 Initiation and processing of the first release trial with genetically modified poplars in Germany
• Since 2004: Head of the section Genome Research
• Since 2009: Deputy Director of the Institute of Forest Genetics, Großhansdorf
• March 2010: Appointment as Director and Professor
• 2010-2014 Deputy Head of EU Cost Action FP0905 “Biosafety of forest transgenic trees: improving the scientific basis for safe tree development and implementation of EU policy directives”
• 2015 Establishment of genome editing: the first genome-edited trees in Germany were produced (BMBF project PopMass)
• 2021-2024 Project leader of the FNR young research group “Genetic Technologies"

TreeHarm: Development of diagnostic and treatment methods for the identification and protection of native trees against regulated and new harmful organisms
Duration 2021-2024
 

aProPop: Development of a DNA-free genome editing system in poplar by transient Cas9/gRNA plasmid and ribonucleinprotein transfer into protoplasts and germinating pollen
Duration 2018-2021
 

ChitoPop: Improvement of poplar pathogen response und mycorrhization by modification of LysM proteins
Duration 2016-2020
 

Early flowering in trees: Shortening the vegetative phase in trees by cultural and genetic methods.
Duration 2007-2023

MaRussiA: (Marker for Russian Aspen): Raising the Productivity, Resistance and Adaptability in Poplar - Gene Markers for Aspen in Russia Duration 2015-2018
 

FastWood III: Breeding, genetic characterisation, and capacity assessment of Populus-poplar and black locust
Duration 2015-2018
http://www.fastwood.org/
 

Activation tagging II: Molecular Analysis of activation-tagged Aspen-Populus Variants II,
Duration 2014-2017
 

PopMass: Development and use of novel gene technologies to increase biomass yield in the woody perennial Populus spec
Duration 2012-2017
 

Biosafety: Biosafety of transgenic trees: improving the scientific basis for safe tree development and implementation of EU policy directives (EU-Cost Action)
Duration 2010-2014

Establishment and scientific supervision of the first (1996-2001) and second field release (2000-2003) with transgenic aspen in Germany.