Dieter Willbold
Research Centre Jülich, Germany
Prof. Dr. Dieter Willbold studied biochemistry in Tübingen (Germany), Bayreuth (Germany) and Boulder (Colorado, USA). He completed his PhD in 1994 at the University of Bayreuth. After some more years in Bayreuth and a couple of research visits, e.g. at the Sackler School of Medicine of the Tel-Aviv University, he headed a junior research group at the Institute for Molecular Biotechnology in Jena. In 2001 Dieter Willbold became an associate Professor at the Heinrich-Heine-University of Düsseldorf. Since 2004, he is full professor at the Institute of Physical Biology at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Since 2005, he is additionally director of the Institute of Complex Systems of the Research Centre Jülich.
His research focuses on the development and application of methods to precisely investigate three-dimensional structures, dynamics, ligand (substances that bind to molecules) interactions and molecular mechanisms of biologically- and medically-relevant macromolecules. In addition to basic research, Dr. Willbold develops approaches for early diagnosis and therapies for neurodegenerative disorders with a strong focus on Alzheimer's disease.