Prof. Dr. Vera Meyer is a leading biotechnologist whose research explores the fundamental principles of fungal biology and their potential for sustainable innovation. As Professor of Applied and Molecular Microbiology at the Technical University of Berlin, her work bridges microbiology, synthetic biology, and systems biology to understand how filamentous fungi function as complex living systems and how they can be engineered for applications in medicine, industry, and the emerging bioeconomy.

A central innovation of her research is the development and optimization of fungal “cell factories,” particularly using species such as Aspergillus niger. By combining genetic engineering tools like CRISPR-Cas9 with large-scale omics data and systems-level modeling, her team investigates gene regulation networks and metabolic pathways to enhance the production of proteins, pharmaceuticals, platform chemicals, and biomaterials. This integrative approach enables a shift from descriptive to predictive biology and opens new pathways for sustainable, circular production systems.

Meyer studied biotechnology at the Sofia University and TU Berlin, where she completed her doctorate in 2001 and her habilitation in 2008. Her international career includes research stays at Imperial College London and Leiden University, where she later held an assistant professorship before returning to Berlin. Since 2011, she has led her research group at TU Berlin and shaped the field of fungal biotechnology through interdisciplinary collaboration.

She has published more than 150 scientific articles and founded the open-access journal Fungal Biology and Biotechnology, actively advocating for transparency and accessibility in science. Beyond academia, she works as an artist under the pseudonym V. meer, combining microbiology and sculpture to make fungal systems visible and to foster dialogue on sustainability and the future of bio-based life and materials.

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