I am a geneticist and chromatin biologist fascinated by how genome organization and epigenetic mechanisms regulate cellular function and inheritance. After studying Biology at the University of Freiburg, I completed my PhD at Ludwig Maximilians University Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in the laboratory of Stefan Jentsch. Following postdoctoral research with Hiten Madhani at UCSF, I established my independent research group at LMU Munich in 2012. Since 2021, I have been a Heisenberg Professor of Chromatin Biology at Justus Liebig University Giessen.
Outside the lab, I enjoy running, hiking, good food, and fine wine—and occasionally trade bench and office for a camera or a guitar.
What the BraunLab says about Sigurd:
«Sigurd is the creator of the famous 'wine-tasting' EMAP. We are not sure if this means he turned his work into his hobby or his hobby into his work.» • «Was once in a band and had long hair. Photos of that time are surprisingly hard to find…»
My fascination with biology began during my studies at the University of Freiburg, where I investigated signal transduction pathways controlling photomorphogenesis in plants. I completed my PhD in 2005 at Ludwig Maximilians University Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in the laboratory of Stefan Jentsch, studying ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ERAD).
As a postdoctoral researcher in Hiten Madhani's laboratory at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), I discovered my passion for chromatin biology and epigenetics, using the yeast model systems Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In 2012, I established my independent research group at the Biomedical Center (BMC) of LMU Munich, where I began integrating chromatin biology with quantitative genetics and systems-level approaches. During this time, I participated in the EpigeneSys Network of Excellence and co-coordinated the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network Cell2Cell.
In 2021, my laboratory moved to Justus Liebig University Giessen, where I currently hold a Heisenberg Professorship in Chromatin Biology. Today, my research combines genetics, quantitative biology, and systems-level approaches to understand how chromatin regulates genome function, epigenetic inheritance, and cellular adaptation.
Beyond research, I particularly enjoy mentoring young scientists and building collaborative research networks. Outside academia, I can often be found on a running trail, in the mountains, exploring local food and wine, or with a camera—or occasionally a guitar—in hand.
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