Double award from the Max Planck Society for Maik Wolfram-Schauerte
For his outstanding doctoral thesis, Dr Maik Wolfram Schauerte has been honoured by the Max Planck Society with both the Otto Hahn Medal and the Otto-Hahn-Award. The Max Planck Society (MPS) presented the awards at its annual meeting in Magdeburg on 25 June.
Dr Maik Wolfram Schauerte was honoured by the Max Planck Society for his outstanding achievements in his dissertation at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology. He researched specific RNA modifications during phage infections and developed new protocols. Schauerte plans to establish his own research group to pursue interdisciplinary approaches in microbiology.
The Fascination of Complexity
Maik Wolfram-Schauerte's fascination with how molecules, as the smallest building blocks, assemble into living organisms of enormous complexity motivated him to study molecular biotechnology at the University of Heidelberg. He developed an early interest in the biochemistry of proteins and RNA, and bioinformatics was also an aspect of his work from the very beginning. During one of his many research internships, he met Katharina Höfer, who is now a LOEWE Top Professor at the Philipps University in Marburg. After completing his master's thesis in her research group at the Max Planck Institute in Marburg, he began his doctoral studies there, investigating the role of specific RNA modifications in the course of phage infections.
Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are viruses that infect bacteria. They are the most abundant biological entity on Earth: it is estimated that there are more than ten times as many phages as bacteria. Phages are not really living organisms; they have to hijack the metabolism of bacteria in order to multiply. The researcher wants to study in detail how they do this. In this endeavour, I feel very close to the Max Planck principle that knowledge must precede application," says the researcher.
RNAylation as a `Molecular Glue`
A very specific form of RNA, known as NAD-capped RNA, plays an important role. It carries an NAD molecule as an appendage - a so-called RNA modification - which is known primarily as a redox cofactor. Since its discovery in 2015, the function of this modification in bacteria has been largely unknown. As part of his PhD in Prof. Höfer's research group, Maik Wolfram-Schauerte was able to show that a phage enzyme can use this NAD attachment to bind RNA and proteins. As an innovative 'molecular glue', this reaction - known as 'RNAylation' - could be highly relevant for many research and application aspects in the future. ´Maik's thesis is an important building block for future research in my group. I see the discovery of RNAylation not only as a contribution to basic research, but also as a potential way to transfer processes designed by nature into new therapeutic applications,' said Prof. Katharina Höfer, commenting on the prizewinner's outstanding research.
Since the functions of NAD-RNA in phages have hardly been investigated, Maik Wolfram-Schauerte had to develop some protocols from scratch during his PhD at the MPI in Marburg. The work paid off: the results of his doctoral thesis add to the textbook knowledge about the functions of RNA (modifications) and their significance in phage infections.
The second important event during his time at the MPI Marburg was the birth of his daughter. Combining family and research life is a challenge, but also very inspiring when it comes to working efficiently," says the laureate. His wife is also a researcher. It is a great opportunity when both partners support each other and give each other space for their scientific careers," says Maik Wolfram-Schauerte.
During his doctoral studies, Maik Wolfram-Schauerte was supported by a scholarship from the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes and the DFG's SPP2330. He also participated in the IMPRS µLife, which enabled him to build a network and gain valuable insights into different research areas in microbiology. An Add-On Fellowship for Interdisciplinary Life Sciences from the Joachim Herz Foundation allowed him to further expand his network. In May, he was awarded the Friedrich Hirzebruch Doctoral Prize 2025 by the Studienstiftung for his outstanding doctoral thesis.
Towards an Atlas of Phage Infection
The Otto Hahn Award will enable him to establish his own research group at an MPI of his choice. He plans to combine methods from biochemistry, microbiology and bioinformatics, building on his interdisciplinary research on bacteriophages. The plan is to bioinformatically map the individual steps and processes of phage infection in an atlas so that all researchers can work together in an interdisciplinary way. On the one hand, this could lead to new therapeutic approaches against bacterial infections. On the other hand, it might be possible to see how individual parts of this complex process can be specifically used for certain biotechnological or therapeutic applications," explains the researcher. He has already gained further valuable experience in this field during his current postdoctoral period at the University of Tübingen. The Otto Hahn Prize will enable Maik Wolfram-Schauerte to pursue these and other questions in the long term.
Since 1978, the MPG has awarded the Otto Hahn Medal to young researchers for outstanding scientific achievements and excellent doctoral theses. The prize is endowed with 7,500 euros. The MPG also awards the Otto Hahn Award : It offers particularly outstanding winners of the Otto Hahn Medal the opportunity to take on the leadership of a small research group after a stay abroad. They can carry out their own research project at a Max Planck Institute of their choice. The award is intended to pave the way for a long-term research career in Germany.
