Prof. Patrick Cramer is a pioneering structural and molecular biologist whose work has revolutionized our understanding of gene transcription―the process by which cells generate RNA from DNA, a fundamental step in gene expression across all life forms.
Born in 1969 in Stuttgart, Germany, Prof. Cramer studied chemistry at the universities of Stuttgart and Heidelberg, completing his doctorate at the University of Heidelberg in 1998 with work conducted at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Grenoble. After a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University (1999–2001), he became a tenure-track professor of biochemistry at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), later serving as director of its Gene Center and Dean of the School of Chemistry and Pharmacy (2007–2009). In 2014, he was appointed Director at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, which later became the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences. In June 2023, he became President of the Max Planck Society.
Prof. Cramer’s research has provided unprecedented insight at the level of individual atoms into the molecular machinery of transcription, revealing the mechanism underlying each step. This includes the structure and function of RNA polymerase II of higher organisms―the enzyme that transcribes protein-coding genes. His discoveries have also elucidated how transcription is regulated in the context of chromatin and the mediator complex. Combining structural with kinetic studies, his lab was the first to create a molecular “movie” of transcription in real time, a landmark achievement that has redefined the field.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Prof. Cramer applied his expertise to pressing medical research. His team was among the first to map the three-dimensional structure of the coronavirus polymerase, revealing how certain antiviral drugs inhibit the pathogen’s replication.
In addition to his research achievements, Prof. Cramer has been a powerful advocate for international scientific collaboration. As President of the Max Planck Society and former Chair of the Council of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), he has helped shape European research policy while fostering global scientific partnerships. His leadership is distinguished not only by excellence but also by principle: amid growing global hostility toward Israeli academia, Prof. Cramer led a high-profile delegation to Israel, reaffirming the Max Planck Society’s commitment to Israeli-German scientific collaboration, especially with partners like the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Prof. Cramer has received numerous honors, including the Shaw Prize in Life Sciences and Medicine (2023), the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine (2021), and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (2006). He is a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the European Molecular Biology Organization, the Royal Society, and the US National Academy of Sciences.