Research / 18.08.2026
Kirstin Bodensiek appointed Administrative Director

As of August 15, 2026, Kirstin Bodensiek has officially taken the helm as Administrative Director of the Max Delbrück Center. She is stepping into the permanent position after leading the center on an interim basis.

Following a successful transition period, Kirstin Bodensiek has officially taken over as Administrative Director of the Max Delbrück Center as of August 15, 2026. She succeeds Dr. Heike Graßmann, who was appointed State Secretary of the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism on February 1, 2025.

“Science and administration are not separate worlds. Both contribute to our center’s success. I am extremely pleased to continue leading the Max Delbrück Center with Kirstin. I greatly value her perspective and her commitment to preparing the Max Delbrück Center for the future,” says Dr. Maike Sander, Scientific Director of the Max Delbrück Center.

“An important factor in my decision to officially continue as Administrative Director was the team-spirit I have experienced working with Maike. We look at all aspects of our center as a whole and work together across areas of responsibility and organizational structures to find the best solutions,” says Bodensiek. ​“The department heads have also given me their full support from the very beginning. I have not taken that for granted.”

Ultimately, every employee at the Max Delbrück Center contributes to improving the health of society. ​“That is a worthwhile goal — and I feel that I can make a contribution,” adds Bodensiek. ​“I want to empower people to take responsibility. That requires close dialogue with colleagues from all areas of the center. It’s an exercise I find particularly valuable.”

About Kirstin Bodensiek

Kirstin Bodensiek studied law at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and European law at Leiden University. She completed Germany’s second state examination in law in 2001. From 2002 onward, she held various positions at Deutsche Verkehrs-Assekuranz-Vermittlungs GmbH in Bad Homburg, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG. She was officially admitted to practice law in July 2018.

At the Max Delbrück Center, Bodensiek gradually took on increasing responsibility. From October 2018 to January 2025, she headed the Legal Department and served as deputy to Administrative Director Professor Heike Graßmann. When Graßmann was appointed State Secretary of the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism, Bodensiek took over as interim Administrative Director. Following a successful transition period, she officially became Administrative Director of the Max Delbrück Center on August 15, 2026.

In addition to her role at the Max Delbrück Center, Bodensiek has coordinated the Helmholtz Association’s working group on Kaufmännische Informationsverarbeitung (commercial information processing) since April 2026. She is also active in the Genshagen Circle, serves as Chair of the Association Court of the Berlin Volleyball Association, and volunteers at sporting events such as the Special Olympics.

Further information

• Max Delbrück Center website
• Max Delbrück Center Strategy 2030
• Heike Graßmann, new State Secretary in Sachsen
• “We at the MDC” with Kirstin Bodensiek, 2021

Max Delbrück Center

The Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association lays the foundation for the medicine of tomorrow through our discoveries of today. At locations in Berlin-Buch, Berlin-Mitte, Heidelberg, and Mannheim, interdisciplinary teams investigate the complexity of disease at the systems level – from molecules and cells to organs and entire organisms. Together with academic, clinical, and industry partners, and as part of global networks, we turn biological insights into innovations for early detection, personalized therapies, and disease prevention. Founded in 1992, the Max Delbrück Center is home to a vibrant, international research community of around 1,800 people from over 70 countries. We are 90 percent funded by the German federal government and 10 percent by the state of Berlin.