The microbiologist, Prof. Dr. Bärbel Friedrich was honoured with the Merit Cross on Ribbon by President Joachim Gauck on 7 March 2013 at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin for her contributions to the sciences in the new federal States.
Joachim Gauck and Bärbel Friedrich
Joachim Gauck and Bärbel Friedrich
all photos: © Bundesregierung/Schacht
The President lauded the contributions of the honoured guest: “In addition to her successful research, Professor Bärbel Friedrich: has set in motion long-lasting impacts on the organization and structuring of the sciences as, for example, the vice president of the German Research Foundation and with the Enquete-Kommission, the Federal Parliament Committee on Legal and Ethical Aspects of Modern Medicine. She has been particularly engaged in distinguishing the sciences in the new Federal States.”
Bärbel Friedrich has been Professor of Microbiology at the HU Berlin since 1994. Her research focus is on the microbiological, molecular genetic, and biochemical characterization of metalloenzymes. Regulation, maturation and molecular function of biological hydrogen catalysts – the hydrogenases – play an important role therein as they are of special significance to hydrogen biotechnology. Her trailblazing and internationally followed research results have been documented in over 200 original publications.
Bärbel Friedrich was a UniCat working group leader in B2 and C2 from 2007 to 2011. In 2012, she was group leader in E3 and E4.
Professor Dr. Bärbel Friedrich is a member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, vice president of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Academic Director of the Alfried Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg Greifswald.
MP/JL