VirusREvolution research activities will be led by a team of 32 Principal Investigators, carefully selected for their diverse and extensive backgrounds. In each project, we selected two experts from different disciplines, with the idea that the combination of expertise would catalyse new methods and technologies. Computational, photonic, and experimental experts in the VirusREvolution initiative are covering almost all relevant subfields for the development of novel virus tools. Their unique areas of expertise position them to not only bridge critical gaps in our understanding but also pioneer innovative approaches while developing essential tools. Together, they form a highly interdisciplinary team with a proven track record of past collaborations that positions us well for significant breakthroughs in our quest to develop tools, that address the pressing virological questions that have long eluded resolution.
Computational, photonic, and experimental experts in this iniative are working in three different project areas:
- Project Area A – Tools for Virus Sequence and Regulation
- Project Area B – Tools for Virus Interaction and Structure
- Project Area C – Tools for Virus Visualisation and Morphology
and a fourth area for integrating activities and central tasks.
Learn more about our Principal Investigators and their expertises:
- Manja Marz (Spokesperson), Virus bioinformatics, RNA bioinformatics, HTS data analysis | FSU Jena, Institute for Computer Science
- Sebastian Böcker (Coordination team), Bioinformatics, algorithmics, metabolomics | FSU Jena, Institute for Computer Science
- Stefanie Deinhardt-Emmer (Coordination team), Pathogenesis of viral and bacterial interferences | FSU Jena, Institute of Medical Microbiology
- Christian Eggeling (Coordination team), Super-resolution microscopy | FSU Jena, Institute for Applied Optics and Biophysics
- Friedemann Weber (Coordination team), RNA viruses, innate immune response | JLU Giessen, Institute of Virology
- Emanuel Barth, RNA bioinformatics | FSU Jena, Institute for Computer Science
- Martin Beer, Veterinarian specialist in microbiology and virology, pox viruses | FLI, Institute of Diagnostic Virology
- Noriko Cassman, Virus databases, research data management, metagenomics, bacteriophages | FSU Jena, Institute for Computer Science
- Volker Deckert, Raman, TERS, plasmonics, near-field optics | FSU Jena, Institute of Physical Chemistry
- Peter Dittrich, Systems theory, simulation and modeling | FSU Jena, Institute for Computer Science
- Bas E. Dutilh, Viral ecology and omics | FSU Jena, Institute of Biodiversity
- Marc Thilo Figge, Systems biology, image data analysis, host-pathogen interactions | Leibniz HKI
- Caroline Friedel, Virus-Host Transcriptomics, novel functional elements in viral genomes, virus annotation and viral RNA decay | LMU Munich, Institute of Informatics
- Kathrin Fröhlich, RNA Biology | FSU Jena, Institute of Microbiology
- Roman Gerlach, Research data management | FSU Jena, Institute for Computer Science
- Stephanie Höppener, Electron microscopy | FSU Jena, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry
- Steve Hoffmann, Analysis of big and multidimensional biological data sets | Leibniz FLI
- Franziska Hufsky, Bioinformatics, outreach and research coordination | FSU Jena, Institute for Computer Science
- Birgitta König-Ries, Distributed information systems, biodiversity informatics | FSU Jena, Institute for Computer Science
- Denise Kühnert, Phylodynamics, molecular epidemiology | Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology
- Kirsten Küsel, Microbial ecology, biodiversity | FSU Jena, Institute of Biodiversity
- Alice Carolyn McHardy, Viral evolution, metagenomics, next generation sequencing, vaccinations and surveillance | Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research
- Jens Meiler, Computational drug discovery, design of protein therapeutics | University of Leipzig, Medical Faculty, Institute for Drug Discovery
- Kai Papenfort, Microbial gene regulation | FSU Jena, Institute for Microbiology
- Georg Pohnert, Bioorganic analytics, organic chemistry, ecology | FSU Jena, Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
- Jürgen Popp, Spectroscopy and imaging | FSU Jena, Institute of Physical Chemistry
- Janina Rahlff, Air-sea interaction, environmental microbiology | FSU Jena, Institute for Computer Science
- Sven Reiche, Virology | FLI, Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management
- Mario Schelhaas, Virus entry, microscopy, imaging | WWU Münster, Institute of Cellular Virology
- Markus A. Schmidt, Photonics, fiber optics | FSU Jena, Abbe Center of Photonics
- Clara Schoeder, Protein design, vaccine design, infectious diseases | University of Leipzig, Medical Faculty, Institute for Drug Discovery
- Peter Stadler, Bioinformatics | University of Leipzig, Institute for Computer Science