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Prof. Dr. Maya Topf
Professorship for Structural and Computational Biology
What sparked your interest in a career in science resp. your professional field?
I always wanted to be a scientist. I started out in chemistry and thought I’d stick with it, but in my last year, I took a course on computational methods for studying proteins, and I was hooked. That’s when I first got interested in structural biology and exploring the cell’s tiny machines. Over time, I wanted to develop my own computational methods to understand these structures better. In structural biology, you get to see how these assemblies look—and sometimes that shows you how they work—but connecting structure to function isn’t easy. It’s a challenge I enjoy, especially when it means creating these ‘pretty’ pictures that reveal more about the cell’s hidden world.
Did you always want to become a professor?
I’ve always been into science—probably because my dad was a scientist in industry, and it was inspiring to see how passionate he was about his work. I wasn’t sure if I’d go into academia or industry myself, but ultimately, my curiosity, love of mentoring, and the freedom to explore my own research questions led me to a career in academia.
What still excites you as a professor?
Why “still”? Every research project feels like solving a new puzzle, and with the new tech constantly popping up in cryoEM and AI-based modeling, there's always something new to learn or discover. I also love seeing my students and postdocs grow, especially when they come up with their own ideas and start making breakthroughs.
What do you like about working as a professor?
What I love about being a professor is the balance between research, teaching, and collaboration. I enjoy that I can manage my own time, though the workload is very demanding. I get to dive into research while working as a team. The academic environment is full of fresh ideas. Plus, there are many opportunities to travel to conferences, meet new people, and build new collaborations with people from different fields.
Is there anything that you do not like much about working as a professor?
One downside of being a professor is juggling so many responsibilities. You’re constantly switching between research, teaching, mentoring, admin tasks, and writing grants—it can be a lot. Managing everything definitely takes some serious time management.
Were there critical phases in your career and how did you deal with them?
After finishing my PhD in Oxford, I was looking for a postdoc in the US, and it was a tough decision to choose the right lab and research focus. I had to weigh my interests, the lab environment, and potential future directions, which wasn’t easy. But I was open to new opportunities, moving into a new place, and meeting new people. In academia, you have to be brave. When I had my children, I was running my lab in London while living in Oxford, balancing both family and work. It wasn’t easy, but I learned to work more flexibly, also from home. I would sometimes put the kids to bed, get up at 1 or 2 am, and work for a few hours before sleeping again. Those were some of my most productive hours...
What are the main topics of your research?
The development of integrative structural methods that combine experimental data, bioinformatics, and modeling techniques to understand the structure and function of macromolecular assemblies. We apply our approaches to viruses in order to identify potential drug targets.
In your opinion, does a young researcher/physician need to decide to take the path towards a professorship already at a very early stage in her/his career?
I don’t think young researchers or doctors need to decide on a professorship path right away. It’s more important to stay open and explore different opportunities as you go. Early on, it’s all about finding what excites you and building up your skills. Some people naturally move toward academia, while others find their passion in industry or clinical work. The decision usually just falls into place as you gain more experience.
How would you rate the work-life and work-familiy balance while being a professor?
Balancing work and family as a professor definitely has its challenges. I work a lot, have two kids, and used to commute 3.5 hours a day (but not anymore!). Plus, there are always conferences and travel commitments popping up. In academia, you pretty much have to integrate work into your life instead of keeping it separate. It can be tough, but it’s also really rewarding. It’s also something that you’re always adjusting based on the stage of your career and personal life.
Please state briefly about a very special moment in your career.
A special moment in my career was when I decided to move to Germany. It opened up so many new research opportunities and led to a lot of great collaborations in Hamburg’s super collaborative environment. Working on the DESY campus in the beautiful CSSB building, while also connecting closely with virologists at the Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV) and clinician scientists at UKE, has been especially rewarding. It helped me see further connections between molecular-level research and application to medical challenges.
Which supporting structures and supporting activities were helpful for you on your way to professorship? Was there a special person who inspired you?
A special person who inspired me was my postdoc advisor, Prof. Andrej Sali at University of California San Francisco (UCSF). His approach to scientific problems, especially in the field of computational biology, had a large influence on how I think about research and helped shape my career path. His mentorship played a key role in guiding me toward my own academic independence.
What are your future visions, what do you want to achieve in the future?
In the future, I aim to continue developing innovative computational methods to better understand the structures and functions of complex macromolecular assemblies, particularly in viruses. A key goal is to identify new drug targets to combat viruses. I would like to explore and test these targets in my lab, study them in detail using cryoEM, while incorporating AI tools to accelerate the process. Ultimately, I aim to bring these targets to a level that will capture the interest of pharmaceutical companies, potentially leading to the development of new antiviral therapies.
Do you have any advice that you would like to give young scientists and students to take away with them?
My advice to young scientists is to stay curious and open to new ideas—you never know where the best discoveries will come from. Throughout your career, you’ll face tough decisions, like choosing research directions or labs, but trust that these choices will help shape your path. And always look for mentors and collaborators who inspire you.
MILESTONES
2002
D.Phil, Oxford University, UK
2003 - 2006
Postdoc, University of California San Francisco, USA
2006 - 2012
Career Development Fellow, Medical Research Council, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology (ISMB), University of London (Birkbeck/UCL), London, UK
2012 – 2013
Lecturer (Assistant Professor), ISMB London
2013 - 2016
Reader (Associate Professor), ISMB London
2016 - 2021
Professor in Structural and Computational Biology, ISMB, London
since 2020
W3 Professor, UKE & Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV)
FURTHER EDUCATION
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), UK (2011)
WORK AREA
Prof. Dr. Maya Topf
- Head of the Department of Integrative Virology Deputy Scientific Director - Leibniz Institute of Virology