Maximilian Illek

“To see what holds the earth together in its innermost elements” -Faust, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Plants, animals and the world ticks to its smallest particle, as well as its complexity, was always something that fascinated me about nature. This fascination was the center stone on my academic pathway in chemistry and biotechnology. Even my bachelor’s thesis was part of this path in determining my future career and also addressed how microorganisms can be used and manipulated for the benefit of the world.

Apart from my academic path, I love to spend my time making music and art, as well as with my friends and family, even though the former can mostly be done online now in the age of Covid-19.
But still I can’t only see the pandemic in a negative light, since it has given me the opportunity of two different jobs, at the moment working on a project on covid-19 mutations.