Environmental Microbiology

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
Professor, Department of Microbial Ecology, University of Vienna

EDUCATION:
• November 1, 1986-July 7, 1992 Degree in Biology at the Tehnischen Universität München (Germany); Diploma grade with distinction; 1.0
• March 3, 1995 PhD Doctor of Science (Dr rer nat) at the Technischen Universität München. Supervisor: Prof Dr K-H Schleifer; Thesis: Application of fluorescent in situ hybridization using rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes for microbial population structure analysis in waste water treatment. 'Summa cum laude'
• April 4, 1995-June 1, 1995 Postgraduate Research Biologist at the Technischen Universität München
• June 1, 1995-June 1, 1996 Postdoctoral fellow at the Northwestern University, Evanston, IL (Prof DA Stahl, Prof B Rittmann); Holder of a DFG research fellowship

EDITORIAL POSITIONS:
• Environmental Microbiology, Editor since 2006
• FEMS Microbiology Ecology, Editor since 2004
• Microbiology (associate editor) 2003-2006
• FEMS Microbiology Letters 1998-2002
• Biodegradation 2000-2003
• Applied and Environmental Microbiology since 2002

MEMBERSHIPS:
1993-present Vereinigung für allgemeine und angewandte Mikrobiologie (VAAM)
1996-present American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
1996-present International Association on Water Quality (IAWQ)
1996-1999 Abwassertechnische Vereinigung eV (ATV)
1996-present Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie (DGHM)
1998-present International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME)
2003-present Österreichische Gesellschaft für Hygiene, Mikrobiologie und Präventivmedizin (ÖGHMP)

HONORS AND AWARDS:
1996 Karl-Imhoff-Award ('Belobigung') of the Abwassertechnischen Vereinigung (German Water and Waste Water Association)
1997 Young Researchers Award of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology
2002 Main Award of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology
2003 Division N lecturer, 103rd General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology; Washington, DC, USA
006 James M Craig Memorial Lecturer; Oregon State University, USA
2008 Award of the City of Vienna for Life and Technical Sciences
2009 Core member of the European Academy of Microbiology
2009 Corresponding member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW)
2009 Member of the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Our mission is to reveal the identity and ecophysiology of microorganisms within selected environmental systems and to decipher their interactions among each other and with eukaryotes.

Past research has demonstrated that almost all ecosystems are dominated by yet uncultured microorganisms. Therefore, the characterization of these unexplored prokaryotes is crucial for understanding the (microbial) ecology of these systems and thus represents the core research theme of the unit.

Novel molecular and microscope techniques are continuously being developed and applied to identify and characterize microorganisms with major importance for the functioning of the investigated systems. These studies are complemented by (eco-) genome, transcriptome, and proteome analyses of microbial key players.