Dr. Jörg Maxton-Küchenmeister holds a doctorate in molecular biology and has more than 25 years of experience in science and foundation management. After working in Hamburg and Frankfurt am Main, among other places, he was responsible for the natural sciences division of the Joachim Herz Foundation from 2012 to 2025. There, he developed numerous funding programs for STEM education, science communication, and the promotion of young talent. In addition, he is involved in various national expert committees and advisory boards. With his strong communication skills and strategic vision, he stands for high-profile, cooperative, and impact-oriented foundation work. In his free time, he is musically active, enjoys sailing, and is involved in church and family activities.

Christina Landbrecht is the director of the art program at the Schering Stiftung. Born in Munich, she moved to Berlin to study art history and business administration at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. She subsequently worked as curatorial assistant at the Berlinische Galerie – Museum of Modern Art, where she later took the position of assistant to the director, Dr. Thomas Köhler. When the excellence cluster “Bild Wissen Gestaltung” (Image Knowledge Gestaltung) was established at Humboldt-Universität, she returned there as a research associate and to write her dissertation. Entitled “The Problem and Potential of Artistic Research,” the PhD-thesis deals with the relationship between the natural sciences and the visual arts since the 1990s. She puts this knowledge to good use for the Foundation, bringing together the expertise of both artists and scientists in productive ways and inspiring interdisciplinary dialogues and projects.