Our group welcomed the Siemens Family Advisory Board and the Foundation Board of the Werner Siemens Foundation to Jena this summer. The particular focus was on the Department of Paleobiotechnology, as it was established through the Foundation’s generous support.
To kick things off, Pierre Stallforth and Christina Warinner presented the journey since then with their pioneering work on reconstructing natural products from ancient microbial DNA to identify new candidates for future antibiotics. During the visit, the guests gained first-hand insights into the institute’s cutting-edge research and its state-of-the-art infrastructure. The delegation toured the institute’s bio pilot plant and robotics platform for automated anti-infective discovery, showcasing innovative technologies that accelerate drug development. Discussions highlighted the importance of long-term support for high-risk, high-impact research. The visit underlined the close partnership between the Werner Siemens Foundation and Leibniz-HKI and their shared commitment to advancing biomedical innovation. Both sides emphasized the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing global health challenges, particularly antimicrobial resistance.
The official press release with more details can be found here.
Image source: Charlotte Fuchs / Leibniz-HKI