Holger L.J. Dormann

Diplom, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Regulation of Heterochromatin Protein 1 by Phosphorylation of Histone H3 and the HP1 Hinge Domain
presented by C. David Allis

Holger Dormann came to the Allis laboratory as a well-trained cell biologist, having received his undergraduate training in Tübingen, including a diploma thesis carried out in Günter Blobel’s laboratory. Working closely with a postdoc, Wolfgang Fischle, Holger and Wolfgang put forward and critically tested a new theory in histone biology — “phospho-methyl switching.” Holger went on to extend these concepts beyond histone proteins, asking if switches also exist in nonhistone proteins that “read” histone marks, notably a well-known heterochromatin-associated protein 1 (HP1). The chromatin field took early notice of Holger’s talents, and early in his graduate career, Holger was awarded a prestigious Boehringer Ingelheim predoctoral fellowship to support his studies. But excellence in science is only one part of what makes Holger so special. How many graduate students can make the claim that they leave a lab with a scientific style named after them? Holger’s clockwork precision and reputation for large-scale experiments, containing every conceivable control, forward and backward, has became known, at least in my lab, as being “Holgerian.” Being Holgerian also means someone who would help you, day or night, no questions asked. He will be missed.

Without question, Holger’s marriage marked one of the most notable “switches” of his Ph.D. career — a switch from bachelorhood to married life. But when Doro graduated ahead of Holger and began her postdoctoral studies in Munich, Holger faced an unexpected switch — a temporary switch back to bachelorhood. Spending long hours in the laboratory, Allis lab members worried that Holger would soon waste away, but Holger survived the calorie-burning chore of thesis writing, going on to give one of the more memorable thesis presentations. Yes you can. Switching again, Holger made the decision to pursue what we are sure will be a highly successful career in patent law. Said differently, no interaction, no matter how strong, can keep interacting partners apart; switching works inside and outside of science. It is in our genes; or is it our epigenes? We should all strive to be a little “Holgerian.”