Dr. Thomas Hermann

Biography

Thomas Hermann is a Professor and Founding Co-Director of the UCSD Center for Drug Discovery Innovation, serving as Associate Dean for Education in the Division of Physical Sciences at UC San Diego. He holds a Ph.D. from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and has a Diplom from the University of Ulm, Germany. His research focuses on structured RNA as drug target material and self-assembling nano-architectures, exploring the unique three-dimensional folds of RNA that play critical roles in cellular processes, providing new opportunities for developing selective small molecules that can inhibit or modulate RNA functions. Professor Hermann employs techniques from molecular biology, biochemistry, and synthetic organic chemistry to discover and validate RNA targets. Additionally, his work in nucleic acid nanotechnology aims to design and build functional materials and devices that utilize self-assembly through base pairing of DNA and RNA strands. He has received numerous accolades, including the Otto-Hahn Medal from the Max-Planck Society and has served as Chair and Vice Chair for the Gordon Research Conference on RNA Nanotechnology.

Research Interests

Experience