Sequencing Life - A Life for Sequencing

Monday Nov 30, 2026, 3:00 PM → 6:00 PM Europe/Berlin

Seminar Room I (Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics)

Lecture & Reception in Honor of Hans Lehrach's 80th Birthday

Hans Lehrach was Director of the Max Planck Institute from 1994 to 2014. He played a pivotal role in shifting the focus of genetic research from single genes to entire genomes. He pioneered positional cloning, which led to the discovery of genes associated with Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis. Lehrach was also one of the scientists who initiated the Human Genome Project. His early array robotics made large-scale genome analysis possible. Later, he shifted his focus to systems biology and computer models for personalized medicine.

Join us in celebrating Hans Lehrach’s 80th birthday and his pioneering work in human genomics.

3:00 PM → 3:15 PM Welcome & Laudatio

Speaker: Prof. Martin Vingron

3:15 PM → 4:15 PM A History of the Human Genome Project and its Consequences

Speaker: Prof. Hans Lehrach

4:15 PM → 5:30 PM Reception