MICROBE HUNTERS
Capturing elusive microbes
OUR VALUES
We put people first.
Integrity and reliability without compromise.
We pursue scientific excellence.
Accountability: each of us is responsible for our words, our actions and our results.
We challenge the status quo.
We always stay curious.
We respect each other.
We keep it simple and safe.
Feel free to try, do not mind failing.
Stay focused while taking opportunities.
Teamwork and collaboration.
We believe in the strength of diversity.
The obstacle is the way.
We highly encourage proactivity.
Bring out the best in everyone.
We put first things first.
Prof. Dr. Christian Jogler
Principal investigator
Understanding the Bacterial Phylum Planctomycetota
Christian has already searched the world for new bacteria and also successfully isolated them. No unknown bacteria is safe from him, as he even has a diving & boating license. In addition, he has been exclusively researching magnetotactic bacteria for several years. He is therefore our expert in sampling strategies, isolation and the "magnetos".
E-mail: christian.jogler@uni-jena.de
Phone: +49 3641 9493 01
Dr. Nicolai Kallscheuer
Postdoctoral researcher
Nicolai has a background in biotechnology and related fields of applied microbiology. His on-going research focuses on the identification of novel bioactive compounds with health-promoting properties, construction of genetic tools for model planctomycetes and functional introduction of genes of planctomycetal origin linked to secondary metabolite biosynthesis into heterologous hosts that he engineered during his PhD. His research is positioned at the node of marine biotechnology, synthetic biology and natural product chemistry.
E-mail: nicolai.kallscheuer@uni-jena.de
Phone: +49 3641 9493 37
Dr. Kumar Gaurav
Postdoctoral researcher
Kumar Gaurav is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Cluster of Excellence ‘Balance of the Microverse‘, Jena, Germany. He works in the Institute of Microbiology of Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena. He is a gold medallist from the University of Hyderabad, India for the best PhD thesis. Kumar emphasises on cultivation and polyphasic characterisation of members of fastidious bacterial phylum Planctomycetota. He also investigates the possibility of sporulation in Planctomycetota.
E-mail: kumar.gaurav@uni-jena.de
Phone: +49 3641 9493 39
Vivien Hotter
Postdoctoral researcher
Characterization of Planctomycetota
Jonathan Hammer
Doctoral researcher, Jena School of Microbial Communication
PhD fellowship funded by the Carl Zeiss Foundation
Jonathan investigates the ecological role of elusive microbes, in particular of the bacterial phylum Planctomycetota, in the context of marine algal blooms. Using
(co-)cultivation approaches in combination with (comparative) genomics and transcriptomics, he aims at a better functional understanding of the microalgal microbiota.
E-mail: jonathan.hammer@uni-jena.de
Phone: +49 3641 9493 42
Myriel Staack
Doctoral researcher, ChemBioSys
Myriel Staack is a PhD student and member of ChemBioSys and the JSMC. She focuses on cell biological changes as well as the impact of small molecules in bi- and tripartite aquatic communities. Her methodological scope covers microscopy, quantitative PCR, molecular and chemical analysis and cultivation.
E-mail: myriel.staack@uni-jena.de
Phone: +49 3641 9493 42
Madeleine Kündgen
Doctoral researcher, CRC 1076 AquaDiva
Madeleine is currently working on the aerobic and anaerobic cultivation of groundwater Planctomycetes in order to elucidate their potential in biotechnological applications. Beyond working as a microbiologist (master’s degree), she has a degree in geoscience/geobiology and has deepened knowledge in bioreactor cultivation. She especially focusses on the cultivation and characterization of subsurface Anammox Planctomycetes.
E-mail: madeleine.regina.kuendgen@uni-jena.de
Phone: +49 3641 9493 44
Tom Haufschild
Doctoral researcher
Tom is a passionate cell biologists trying to understand how bacterial cells survive in complex environments. For his PhD thesis he is in particular interested in bacterial species from the phylum Planctomycetota, which employ a peculiar way of cell division called budding. Since the key players of this process are unknown, Tom tries to shed light onto them by utilizing molecular protein-labelling, state-of-the-art high-resolution (fluorescence) microscopy, and image analysis techniques.
E-mail: tom.haufschild@uni-jena.de
Phone: +49 3641 9493 42
Carmen Elisabeth Wurzbacher
Doctoral researcher
Carmen is investigating bacteria with unusual cell biology and works currently on members of the genus Stella as well as the novel phylum Saltatorellota. Coming from a microbiological background, she is very interested in deepening her knowledge on the physical and computational aspects of microscopy and image analysis.
E-mail: carmen.wurzbacher@uni-jena.de
Jana-Sophie Niegisch
Master student
Lena Raupach
Master student
Characterization of magnetotactic bacteria
Nico Rabold
Master student
Characterization of Planctomycetota
Former Lab Members
Emanuel Petre
Bachelor and Master student (2019 - 2024)
Characterization of Planctomycetota
Emanuel is currently investigating novel strains of Planctomycetes as well as elucidating the ecological role of Planctomycetes on marine algae blooms. In the past he gathered experience in anaerobic cultivation and investigation of proteins. His general interest is the understanding of microbial interactions in marine habitats.
E-mail: emanuel.petre@uni-jena.de
Moses Kabuu
Master student (2022/23)
Characterization of Planctomycetota
Moses has a background in Microbial Interactions and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). He is currently working on the isolation and characterization of microbes with an interest in the discovery of novel bioactive molecules from talented producers such as Planctomycetes. He is addressing this question using microbiological, molecular, and bioinformatic techniques. Alongside his career as a biologist, he is passionate about leadership and STEM outreach.
E-mail: moses.kabuu@uni-jena.de
Velemir Lavrinenko
Master student (2022/23)
Velemir is currently working on the isolation and cultivation of magnetotactic bacteria, who are widely distributed among different bacterial phyla. Such bacteria use magnetotaxis to align according to Earth’s magnetic field. Magnetosomes are internal structures that are responsible for magnetotaxis and contain crystals of minerals that later can be used in nanotechnology.
E-mail: velemir.lavrinenko@uni-jena.de
Phone: +49 3641 9493 42
Jordi Schörrig
Bachelor student (2023)
Characterization of Planctomycetota
Selma Kreiss
Bachelor student (2023)
Characterization of Planctomycetota