A cup with the President – Episode 36: Prof. Dr. Elke Ober

The university president, Professor Ober, and two of her colleagues pose for a selfie. Professor Hornegger holds up his smartphone, everyone looks at the camera and smiles. In the background, several wall-high rows of fish embryos are displayed.
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg A cup with the President Prof. Joachim Hornegger, Prof. Dr. Elke Ober Department Biologie 26.09.2025 ©Giulia Iannicelli

A visit to Prof. Dr. Elke Ober, Professor of Developmental Biology

Each semester, FAU President Prof. Dr. Joachim Hornegger visits professors in their institutes. He visits them there to talk about their research, to discover what is close to their heart and to get to know them better.

Our series introduces you to the researchers and gives an impression of the President’s meeting with them.

In episode 36, the President visits Prof. Dr. Elke Ober. She is professor of developmental biology.

Professor Ober, President Hornegger, and another person are standing in a hallway at the university. Professor Ober opens a door and smiles at Joachim Hornegger, who has his back to the camera.
Elke Ober’s research involves investigating the design principles of liver tissue architecture during embryonic development. (Image: FAU/Iannicelli)1/41/4
Hornegger and Prof. Ober stand together in front of rows of shelves containing fish embryos. Both are standing on the left and looking at the embryos on the right-hand side of the picture, with Prof. Ober pointing her finger at the fish tank.
She is fascinated by how one cell can develop into various types of tissue, organs and organisms. (Image: FAU/Iannicelli)2/42/4
Several people are standing in a circle in an office. Prof. Ober is standing in the center of the picture and speaking, surrounded by her colleagues and Joachim Hornegger.
Before coming to FAU, Professor Ober carried out research at the University of Copenhagen. During her time there, she also completed a six-month research stay in the USA. (Image: FAU/Iannicelli)3/43/4
Prof. Ober, her colleagues, and President Hornegger pose together for a group photo. Everyone smiles for the camera.
Her most useful tool as a professor is a microscope and a board in order to discuss the results and come up with hypotheses. (Image: FAU/Iannicelli)4/44/4

All episodes

Further episodes of the “A Cup with the President” series are available by clicking on this link.

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