Research for the Environment

Head: PD Dr. Thomas Fester
Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1315

• Biotrophic interactions of plant roots with microorganisms (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, root nodule forming bacteria, parasitic nematodes, pathogenic biotrophic fungi)

Head: Dr. Lukas Y. Wick
Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1316

• Quantification and process-based analysis of the effect of substrate bioavailability/ bioaccessibility on the autecology and ecology of contaminant biodegradation in soil
• Process-based development of novel biotechnological remediation approaches for contaminated soil (‘fungal-highways, electro-bioremediation’)

Head: Prof. Dr. Susann Müller
Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1318

• Study of the life strategies of microbial populations
• Optimisation of biotechnological and environmental processes based on single cell data which are obtained with multi-parameter flow cytometry

Head: Dr. Martin Thullner
Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1338

• Developing advanced modeling concepts and tools for the simulation of reactive transport processes in porous media systems
• Emphasis: microbially driven processes (e.g., biodegradation of groundwater contaminants) and the link between microbial activity and chemical transformation rates

Head: Dr. Annelie Wendeberg
Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1377

• Degradation of pollutants in groundwater systems
• Focus on the key organisms providing this ecosystem service and the genetic underpinnings of the biogeochemical processes they mediate

Head: Dr. Roland H. Müller
Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1337

• Investigation of the performances of defined bacterial strain and (defined) consortia with activity in the context of pollutions
• Measures are derived in order to optimize decontamination processes
• Enzymes are searched for from microbial strains which are suitable for application in biotechnological processes

Head: Dr. Antonis Chatzinotas
Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1324

• Description of interactions within and between microbial trophic levels focusing on prokaryotes, viruses, protists and fungi
• Emphasis on the importance of these interactions for the establishment, the stability and the resilience of microbial systems and services

Head: Dr. Sabine Kleinsteuber

Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1325

• Microbiological strategies to optimize anaerobic digestion
• Microbial ecology of anaerobic contaminant degradation

Head: PD Dr. Thomas Maskow
Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1328

• Application, development and validation of thermodynamic rules in ecosystems as well as in biotechnology
• Development of ultra-sensitive real time sensors for ecosystems and biotechnology (Biocalorimetry)

Head: Dr. Dietmar Schlosser
Tel. ++49 (0) 341 235 1329

• Degradation/biotransformation of organic environmental pollutants by aquatic fungi
• Particular focus: Oxidation of environmental pollutants by laccases of aquatic fungi