Tanja Kortemme facts for kids

Tanja Kortemme is a professor at the University of California, San Francisco. She works in a field called bioengineering. This means she uses engineering ideas to solve problems in biology and medicine. Professor Kortemme is known for her amazing work in designing proteins using computers. She also helps create new ways to control how cells work. She was chosen as one of the first investigators for the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub. She is also part of a special group called the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows.

Tanja Kortemme's Education Journey

Tanja Kortemme studied biochemistry at the University of Hannover in Germany. She earned her first degree, then a diploma, and finally her doctorate there. After her studies, she did more research in Heidelberg. She then joined the University of Washington to work with computers. After four years, Professor Kortemme moved to the University of California, San Francisco.

Professor Kortemme's Career

Professor Kortemme started working at the University of California, San Francisco in 2004. She became an assistant professor in the School of Pharmacy. The next year, she received a special award called the Sloan Research Fellowship. This award helps young scientists do important research.

In 2008, she received another award, the NSF Career Award. In 2011, she got money to study biosensors. These are like tiny detectors that can find small molecules inside cells. They can also make cells react to these molecules.

In 2017, Professor Kortemme was named an investigator for the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub. This is a group that brings together scientists to work on big health challenges. In 2019, she joined the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows. This honor recognizes top leaders in bioengineering.