biology

Ingmar Hoerr

Ingmar Hoerr is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ingmar Hoerr rather than just read about it. In short: Ingmar Malte Hoerr (born 1968 in Neckarsulm) is a German biologist. He pioneered vaccinology research concerning the use of RNA and is a founder of the German biotechnology company CureVac.

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

Ingmar Malte Hoerr (born 1968 in Neckarsulm) is a German biologist. He pioneered vaccinology research concerning the use of RNA and is a founder of the German biotechnology company CureVac. He created the initial technology used in RNA vaccines and has reportedly been nominated for a Nobel Prize. He is currently an Ambassador for the European Innovation Council for the years 2021–2027.

Early life and education Hoerr graduated from the Johannes-Kepler-Realschule in Wendlingen am Neckar in 1985 and then attended an agricultural high school in Nürtingen, where he obtained his Abitur in 1988. From 1988 to 1990, he performed civilian service at the DRK Nürtingen as a paramedic. From 1990 to 1996 he studied biology at the University of Tübingen. During his studies, he spent a year at Madurai Kamaraj University, India.

Career

Career in academia Hoerr did experimental research on the stabilization of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). In 1999, he received his PhD from Günther Jung, Institute of Organic Chemistry, in cooperation with Hans-Georg Rammensee, Institute of Immunology and Cell Biology (both: University of Tübingen) on the topic of RNA vaccines for the induction of specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and antibodies. In 2000, Hoerr published his doctoral thesis entitled "RNA vaccine for the induction of specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) and antibodies." In his thesis, Hoerr discovered that ribonucleic acid can be stabilized. This discovery made it easy to use ribonucleic acid for the development of vaccines and immunotherapies. The dissertation investigated the development of RNA vaccines that will play a central role in the fight against COVID-19 starting in 2020. At the time, he vaccinated laboratory mice with an RNA construct and showed that such a vaccine does not immediately decay, as previously thought. Rather, stabilized RNA stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies and activate T cells that destroy pathogens. As early as 9 September 1999, Hoerr applied for a first patent for the new technology. In 2008 and 2009, the first clinical trials for the use of mRNA as a cancer vaccine were already underway. Bill Gates, whose foundation invested in CureVac, rated Hoerr's pioneering work as groundbreaking in an interview with German newspaper Handelsblatt: "The first mRNA vaccines, developed by Pfizer-Biontech and Moderna in 2020, are the product of a multitude of ideas and discoveries by German scientist Ingmar Hoerr, who spent twenty years experimenting with messenger RNA." As the success of the m-RNA vaccines grew, so did media interest in Hoerr. Der Spiegel ranked him among the pioneers of m-RNA vaccines, as did Die Zeit or Süddeutsche Zeitung and conducted interviews. There were appearances on popular German talk shows such as Lanz or Nachtcafe. International interest ranged from the French L'Express to the New York Times. In May 2021, Ingmar Hoerr and Florian von der Mülbe, together with their partners, Sara Hörr and Kiriakoula Kapousouzi, founded the Morpho Foundation, a foundation for the promotion of culture and health projects.

Corporate career In 2000, Hoerr, together with colleagues from the lab groups of Günther Jung and Hans-Georg Rammensee, founded the biopharmaceutical company CureVac. In 2018, Hoerr gave up his office as chairman of the board and changed – as Chairman – to the supervisory board. Daniel L. Menichella was hired in that position in order to develop R&D and plants in the U.S., but the board changed its mind in 2020 and fired Menichella. On 11 March 2020, Hoerr took over the position of CEO again at CureVac, replacing his interim successor Menichella. Later, Hoerr was replaced by Jean Stephenne as chairman of the supervisory board.

In August 2020, Franz-Werner Haas replaced Hoerr as chief executive officer, after Hoerr suffered a severe health issue that March.

Recognition

2018 – Honorary Senator Universität Tübingen 2020 – Honorary Citizen of the City of Tübingen 2021 – Medal of Honor Medical Faculty Universität Duisburg-Essen 2021 − Meyer-Schwickerath-Preis der Stiftung Universitätsmedizin Essen für seine Grundlagenforschung zur Boten-Ribonukleinsäure 2021 – Max-Bergmann-Medaille für die Entwicklung der messenger-RNA- (mRNA)-Impfstoffe als neuartigem Wirkstoffprinzip 2021 – German Innovation Award, Innovator of the Year

Patents Günther Jung, Ingmar Hoerr, Hans-Georg Rammensee, Reinhard Obst: Transfer von mRNAs unter Verwendung von polykationischen Verbindungen. EP1083232. Erstveröffentlichung 9. September 1999, Patentinhaber: CureVac. Florian Von der Mülbe, Ingmar Hoerr, Steve Pascolo: Stabilisierte mRNA mit erhöhtem G/C-Gehalt und optimierter Codon Usage für die Gentherapie. WO2002098443. Erstveröffentlichung 12. Dezember 2002, Patentinhaber: CureVac. Ingmar Hoerr, Jochen Probst, Steve Pascolo: RNA-coded antibody. WO2008083949. Erstveröffentlichung 17. Juli 2008, Patentinhaber: CureVac. Ingmar Hoerr, Steve Pascolo: Optimierte Injektionsformulierung für mRNA. Veröffentlichungstag und Patenterteilung 19 June 2019, Europäische Patentschrift Nr EP 3 153 179 B1, Patentinhaber: CureVac.

Publications Hoerr I; Obst R; Rammensee HG; Jung G (1 January 2000). "In vivo application of RNA leads to induction of specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and antibodies". European Journal of Immunology. 30 (1): 1–7. doi:10.1002/1521-4141(200001)30:1<1::aid-immu1>3.3.co;2-r. ISSN 0014-2980. PMID 10602021. Wikidata Q33179322. Jochen Probst; Sonja Brechtel; Birgit Scheel; Ingmar Hoerr; Günther Jung; Hans-Georg Rammensee; Steve Pascolo (29 May 2006). "Characterization of the ribonuclease activity on the skin surface". Genetic Vaccines and Therapy. 4: 4. doi:10.1186/1479-0556-4-4. ISSN 1479-0556. PMC 1524753. PMID 16732888. S2CID 15324969. Wikidata Q34880734.

Literature Karberg, Sascha (2021). Der Mann, der das Impfen neu erfand Ingmar Hoerr, CureVac und der Kampf gegen die Pandemie (in German). Berlin: Aufbau. ISBN 978-3-351-03926-4. OCLC 1256538154. Klein, Wolfgang (2021). Die CureVac-Story Vom Risiko, die Medizin zu revolutionieren (in German). Frankfurt: Campus. ISBN 978-3-593-51490-1. OCLC 1241085997.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ingmar Hoerr

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ingmar Hoerr claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ingmar Hoerr before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ingmar Hoerr ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ingmar Hoerr

In research: Ingmar Hoerr appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ingmar Hoerr in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ingmar Hoerr is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1968 births, 21st-century German biologists, Biotechnologists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ingmar Hoerr outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Ingmar Hoerr in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ingmar Hoerr means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
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Frequently asked questions

What is Ingmar Hoerr in simple terms?

Ingmar Malte Hoerr (born 1968 in Neckarsulm) is a German biologist. He pioneered vaccinology research concerning the use of RNA and is a founder of the German biotechnology company CureVac.

Why does Ingmar Hoerr matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ingmar Hoerr?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ingmar Hoerr.