Our main research interest revolves around the communication between a bacterial cell and its surrounding. This information flow from an environmental cue (input) to a cellular response (output) is termed signal transduction. In our research, we (i) investigate novel mechanisms of bacterial signal transduction (molecular biology), quantitatively describe and model their regulatory dynamics (systems biology) and use them to design and implement artificial genetic switches (synthetic biology).

Methane producing microorganisms (methanogens), which are obligate anaerobes, belong to the “third domain of life,“ the Archaea. Considering the impact of methane -both as a potent greenhouse gas and as a renewable energy source- relatively little is known about these ecologically and economically important organisms. We study the biology of methanogenic archaea by genetic, genomic, physiological, and biochemical analyses to ultimately better appreciate their role in the environment and their potential in biotechnological applications.

Use of microorganisms and their molecular structures has developed into an important social concern with regard to both ecology and economy. Our research focuses on the development of enzymes as effective catalysts for White Biotechnology and Green Chemistry, respectively. It involves all relevant levels from identification and molecular-mechanistic characterization of synthetically interesting enzymes over recombinant expression and structural manipulation to the macroscopic adaptation to technical application.