Wieland B. Huttner

Emeritus Founding Director I MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics

How to be Innovative in Science?

In my lecture, I will address the following points (among others).

1. How can you determine whether the research topic you currently investigate is innovative?

2. How can you identify a truly innovative research topic?

3. What are the potential risks if you decide to change your research topic?

4. What are the potential gains if you decide to change your research topic?

5. What is particularly important when you enter a new field of research?

In addressing these questions, I will also

(I) describe key steps in my own scientific career,

(II) explain what motivated me to completely change the field of my research when I became professor at Heidelberg University,

(III) outline why my new line of research only took off after I became one of the founding directors of MPI-CBG in Dresden, and

(IV) answer your question what I would work on if I were younger and would now start my independent scientific career.