Microbial Catalysis

About

Our goal is to develop microbial biotechnology concepts that can ultimately be applied to solve grand challenges such as pollution and climate change. Our scientific focus is on the development of microbial catalysts for the bio-based production of chemicals, and the fundamental understanding of the underlying cellular processes. Our main workhorses are bacteria from the genus Pseudomonas and fungi from the Ustilaginaceae family. Our methods revolve around synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, laboratory evolution, systems analysis, and bioprocess technology.

Research Topics

Bacterial production of aromatics. We apply metabolic engineering and synthetic biology to produce aromatic chemicals from renewable resources with non-pathogenic Pseudomonads.

Bio-upcycling of plastics. We aim to establish plastic waste as a new carbon source for biotechnology by screening and engineering plastic-degrading enzymes and microbes.

Fungal biotechnology. We use non-conventional yeasts like Ustilago maydis for the production of organic acids and other natural products from bio-based substrates and industrial side-streams.

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Contact

Prof. Dr. Nick Wierckx

IBG-1

Building 15.21 / Room 5037

+49 2461/61-85247

E-Mail

Group pictures

Members

Prof. Dr. Nick WierckxGroup leader Microbial CatalysisBuilding 15.21 / Room 5037+49 2461/61-85247
Dr. rer. nat. Elena von Heldenwissenschaftliche Koordinatorin Building 15.21 / Room 3041+49 2461/61-85845

Scientific staff

Dr. Stephan ThiesPostdoctoral researcherBuilding 15.21 / Room 5046+49 2461/61-84384
Dr. Benedikt WynandsPostdoctoral researcherBuilding 15.21 / Room 5031+49 2461/61-84374

Technicians

Dominik OskampEngineerBuilding 15.21 / Room 5034+49 2461/61-84376
Ronja WeskottTechnicianBuilding 15.4 / Room 247+49 2461/61-3975

PhD students

Alina GrankinPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5047+49 2461/61-84385
M. Sc. Felix HerrmannPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5036+49 2461/61-84378
Franziska KoflerPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5036+49 2461/61-84378
Thomas KonjetzkoPh.D. student Building 15.4 / Room 133+49 2461/61-3472
Pascal KünzelPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5035+49 2461/61-3474
Thorsten LechtenbergPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5047+49 2461/61-84385
Leonie Op de HiptPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5035+49 2461/61-3474
M.Sc. Tobias ProbanowskiPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5036+49 2461/61-84378
Jakob RönitzPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5035+49 2461/61-3474
Felicia ZlatiPh.D. studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5047+49 2461/61-84385

Students

Alvin Riva KusumaMaster studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5038+49 2461/61-84379
Anne SchmidtMaster studentBuilding 15.21 / Room 5036+49 2461/61-84378

Trainee

Sophia FeltesTrainee biology laboratory assistantBuilding 15.21 / Room 5028+49 2461/61-84379

Last Modified: 30.04.2024