Born 1948 in Bogotá (Colombia). Study of physics, doctorate TU Munich (1980), Research Associate Washington Univ. (1980-1983), Scientific Collaborator at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (1983-1992), Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine (since 1992), Honorary Professor Univ. of Göttingen (1995).