Dr. Thomas Diefenthal

Biography

Born in 1960, Thomas Diefenthal studied biology, with his main focus on genetics, at the University of Cologne and wrote his dissertation (1985-1986) in the subject area of cancer genetics. He was a scientist at the Max-PlanckInstitute for Plant Breeding & Genetics in Cologne, in the department of Prof. Schell, from 1986 to 1989. In 1988 he received a doctorate for his work on regulatory genes in maize. In 1990, he joined the research team of the food stuffs company Weissheimer Malt, building up their department for biotechnology in cooperation with the Carlsberg Research Laboratory in Copenhagen (DK). The department worked on the usage of the yeast enzyme system for industrial synthesis (technical enzymes). At the end of 1994, he and a colleague founded Maltagen Research GmbH. He was managing partner until 1999. Together with an American partner, the company developed a new method for manufacturing pharmaceutical products from genetically modified plants. In April 1999 Thomas Diefenthal took over the role as managing director of BioPark Regensburg GmbH. In this role he built up the Innovation and Foundation Centre for Biotechnology in Regensburg on the University Campus in three construction phases in 2001, 2006 and 2011 for a total of 42 million €. With 18,000 sqm, 36 leaseholders and 600 employees, the BioPark is the second largest biotech centre in Bavaria. In addition, Thomas Diefenthal coordinates the biotechnology cluster BioRegio Regensburg with currently 51 companies and 3863 employees - making the region the second largest biotech location in Bavaria. Thomas Diefenthal is a jury and coach member in the Business Plan Competition in North Bavaria and a mentor investor for the Region of Upper Palatinate. In this role he has accompanied a total of 42 foundations, and given investment assistance to young biotechnology companies in the region totalling 496 million €. He has conducted several on-site and profile analyses in the region with the consulting company Capgemini and put these results successfully into action. Furthermore, from 2007 until 2015 Thomas Diefenthal had been the deputy spokesman for the Council of German BioRegions. In 2008 he was selected as one of twenty leaders in the countrywide project in Germany “Shaping Processes of Change - Management and Leadership” by Wirtschaftswoche and Dale Carnegie Germany. Since 2009 he has been the spokesman for the Council of BioParks, since 2011 he has been a board member and since 2014 the Vice President of the German Association of Innovation, Technology and Business Incubation Centres (BVIZ).

Research Interest

Plant Breeding & Genetics