Maike Sander was appointed as Scientific Director of the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) in Berlin, Germany in November 2022. Prior to coming to Berlin, she served as a Director of the Pediatric Diabetes Research Center at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Sander’s research aims to understand the molecular mechanisms that control the formation and function of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells with the goal to identify novel therapeutic approaches for diabetes. Her work combines genetic approaches in a human pluripotent stem cell model of beta cells with single-cell genomics and genetic association data. Her honors include the Grodsky Award from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Humboldt Research Award, the Albert Renold Prize from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and election to the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and the German National Academy of Sciences.
As a Scientific Director of the MDC, Prof. Dr. Sander seeks to foster creativity innovation and entrepreneurship. She advocates for the empowerment of talent at all levels and the creation of an environment where all individuals can succeed. She believes that considering diverse viewpoints and considering different ideas and perspectives creates richer solutions and propels innovation.