Dirk Heinz (right on the picture) studied Chemistry and Biochemistry in Freiburg, before he started doing research in the Structural Biology during his thesis at the University of Basel. Following a postdoc period in the US, he returned to Freiburg as scientific assistant. In 1998 he became a junior research group leader at the then German Research Centre of Biotechnology (GBF, now HZI) in Braunschweig, where he was head of the Structural Biology Department from 2003 to 2010.

Dirk Heinz is Honorary Professor at the Technical University Braunschweig and has promoted the issue of research in Structural Biology for many years as member of national and international committees. He is also spokesman for the Infection and Immunity programme in the Health research field of the Helmholtz Association.

After a one-year period as acting scientific director, Dirk Heinz has been appointed as Scientific Director of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) on 1st August 2011. He also heads the Department of Molecular Structural Biology at HZI.

Ulf Richter (left on the picture) studied Business Law in Lüneburg with a focus on financial services, graduating as a Diplom-Wirtschaftsjurist (business law graduate). 

From 2000 to 2003 he was employed at KPMG Consulting AG as Senior Consultant in the field of World Class Finance and Nonprofit Organisations for the conceptual planning of programme-oriented funding within the Helmholtz Association. In this capacity he was responsible for tasks including the consulting of companies, research establishments and non-profit organisations in the areas of accounting and strategic controlling.

In 2003 Ulf Richter was employed at the then German Reserach Center for Biotechnology (GBF, now HZI). Until 2005 he was in charge of business management controlling, taking over the position of head of human resources in 2006, as an authorised signatory. Between 2005 and 2007 he completed in-service studies in Business and Social Sciences in Osnabrück, focusing on university and science management and graduating as a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

In 2009 he relocated to Berlin, where he took charge of the commercial operations of Deutsche Einheit Fernstraßenplanungs- und –bau GmbH (DEGES GmbH). His responsibilities included the fields of finance, controlling, human resources, organisation and IT.

Ulf Richter has been Administrative Managing Director of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) since April 2010.