Christian B. W. Stark studied chemistry at Leibniz Universität Hannover. He conducted a final year research project under the guidance of Professor S. V. Ley, FRS at the University of Cambridge, UK. This project focused on the synthesis of the C10–C17 subunit of the immunosuppressant rapamycin. After returning to Hannover Stark finished his degree and joined the group of Professor H. M. R. Hoffmann. His doctoral research concentrated on the development of asymmetric [4+3] cycloadditions and applications to natural product synthesis. In May 2000, Christian Stark changed fields and transferred to the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, UK. In a group with Professor P. F. Leadlay, FRS and Professor J. Staunton, FRS, his research targeted the biosynthesis of the polyether ionophore monensin. In December 2002, Christian Stark accepted a position as Junior Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. After a successful intermediate evaluation in late 2005, he entered the second phase of his junior professorship. In early 2007, Christian Stark was offered W2 tenured professorships at Philipps University of Marburg and Leipzig University—both in Germany. In October 2007, he became W2 Professor of Organic Chemistry and Catalysis at Leibzig University, acting as Director of the Department of Organic Chemistry from 2008 to 2010. In September 2010, Christian Stark accepted a W3 Chair of Organic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry at Universität Hamburg; he has been heading the Institute of Organic Chemistry since 2012.