Department of Interface Microbiology

 

Interfaces as biotopes

 

The main research of the department of interface microbiology is focused on sessile microorganisms growing on natural and technical surfaces. The central aim of this research is the functional characterization of mixed biofilm populations and their potential manipulation. The department consists of five research groups.

 

 

Research groups

 

Expertise/Scope of Duties
AG Brenner-Weiß
Analytical biochemistry

Chemical characterization of biofilms

Bio-organic mass spectroscopy

Biomimetic compartmentation of cellular processes

Water ressource management
AG Dötsch
Microbial Genomics and Bioinformatics

Next Generation Sequencing

Gene Expression Analysis (Transcriptome)

Population Analysis (Metagenome, Metatranscriptome)

Biofilms on medical implants
AG Overhage
Bacterial Stress Response

Bacterial stress response and process engineering

Pathogenic biofilms and host microbe interactions

Molecular switches and synthetic regulatory circuits
AG Schwartz
Micro-/molecular biology

Biofilm development

Microbial risk evaluation

Biofilm Manipulation

 

 

Key aspects of research

 

  • Interactions of biofilms with eukaryotic cell systems (interkindgom signalling)

     

  • Biofilms as microbial communities in nature and in technical applications

     

  • Bacterial stress response as an indicator of exogeneous parameters; microbial risk assessment

     

  • Biofilms and modified surfaces