After studying molecular biology at Greifswald University, Elke Witt researched aspects of proteasome assembly at the Charité Institute of Biochemistry in Berlin. She later changed disciplines to the philosophy of biology, and is currently working on her PhD on philosophical issues relating to synthetic biology.

After a six-month research visit to the Centre Cavaillès at the École normale supérieure in Paris, she worked on the academic staff at the Chair for Practical Philosophyat Luxemburg University. In 2006 she returned to Berlin, where she coordinated the interdisciplinary workgroup ‘Functions of consciousness’ at the Berlin–Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (BBAW). Since March 2010, Elke Witt has been on the academic staff of the Bio-economy Council, focusing on plant research.