Dr. Jiri Firml is from the Czech Republic. For 4 years, the 33-year-old biologist and chemist headed a group of young researchers at the Center for Molecular Biology of Plants at the University of Tübingen.

His interest: How do plants develop? With funds from the Volkswagen Foundation, Friml has already gained important new knowledge - which won him last year's coveted Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize. Jiri Friml sees his future in Germany, and says the country offers the best working conditions for basic research.

Source: Deutsche Welle