Prof. Dr. Claudine Kraft

1. How did you get into the autophagy field and why is the field important to you?

During my PhD, I studied proteasomal protein degradation; I then heard about that other degradation system in the cell, and I was fascinated by the fact that there was so little known. I liked the idea that one is able to discover fundamental basic mechanisms.

2. What is a key question in the autophagy field now? Where do you think the field is heading?

Molecular mechanisms! Many genes have been discovered, but what the gene products, i.e.what do the proteins do, is rather unclear.

3. Should you meet any scientist, currently living or deceased, who would it be and why?

Gottfried ‘Jeff’ Schatz. He was a great biochemist and died a few years ago. He once told me: “Do the things the way you do it, and not the way the others think you should do it”.

4. What advice do you have for early career scientists that want to enter the autophagy field?

The same advice Jeff gave me!