Microbial Ecology and Infectious Diseases

     We are host to a remarkable diversity of microbes that are key to our health and well-being, but the microbiome of humans and animals can also be the source of infectious diseases and contribute to a variety of complex diseases.

     My research aims at unraveling the mechanisms by which microorganisms adapt, evolve, and interact in space and time – from the perspective of single cells to complex host-associated microbial communities.

     We integrate approaches from genomics, microbial ecology, evolution, classical & molecular microbiology, and clinical & veterinary medicine to provide insight and solutions related to the following areas:

• Biogeography of Pathogens
• Microbe-Microbe Interactions
• Microbe-Host Immune System Interactions
• Antimicrobial Resistance and Tolerance
• Beneficial Functions of the Microbiota
• Structure and Function of Microbial Communities (Biofilms)
• Precision Medicine (Personalized Medicine)

     Through interdisciplinary approaches our research has already revealed the identity and predicted function of important uncultivated members of human and animal microbiomes (e.g. Segmented Filamentous Bacteria) and their impact on host immune system maturation, provided a first insight into microbial interactions of opportunistic pathogens (e.g. Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and led to a strategy for specifically targeting physiologically distinct microbial subpopulations resulting in a successful combined antimicrobial treatment strategy.

     The ultimate goal is to provide better preventive and control strategies against microbial infections and complex microbial diseases to the benefit of society.