Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH (FZK), Germany

 

Institute of technical chemistry – watertechnology and geotechnology division, Department of Environmental Microbiology

 

Short description of the Research Center

The Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe is an independent science and research institution in Germany with a staff of about 3500 employees (http://www.fzk.de). In the area of technology and the environment, the Centre devotes its attention to research and development work in the interest of the public. It is owned by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Land Baden-Württemberg and is a member of the Helmholtz association of National Research Centres. The administrative staff of the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe will support this project with respect to a professional execution of financial, legal, technology transfer, patent and public relation tasks. The Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe administration has an extensive experience in managing EU-projects. 50% of the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe project costs will be provided by Forschungszentrum Karlsuhe’s budget. The Department of Environmental Microbiology focuses on microbiological, biochemical and

 

Professional Experience of the Group

The Department of Environmental Microbiology focuses on microbiological, biochemical and molecularbiological processes in the environment. The research includes investigations of specific gene expression in microbial biofilms, molecular based population analysis, antibiotic resistances and pathogenesis, cellular toxicology and microbial metabolism. The biological research is supported by powerful biochemical analytics including proteomics, bioresponse-linked instrumental analysis and detection of low-dose pollutants by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The technical equipment includes classical microbiological methods, conventional and real-time PCR, sequencing and fragmentary analysis of DNA, hybridisation techniques, DNA chip technology, population analysis by DGGE, various electrophoresis techniques, microscopy, enzyme activity tests, photometry, fluorimetry, luminometry, and mass spectrometry using ionisation techniques such as APCI, ESI, MALDI, and APPI coupled with separation techniques such as HPLC, CE, and µHPLC.

 

Short description of key persons

PD Dr. Ursula Obst, microbiologist, head of Dep. Environmental Microbiology of the Institute for Technical Chemistry, Watertechnology and Geotechnology; private lecturer at the University of Karlsruhe; occupations of many years in the field of water quality control (authority, industry, water supply) and a drinking water treatment company; experience of many years in the field of water research (hygiene, toxicology, analytics), member and head of various expert committees.

 

Dr. Thomas Schwartz, microbiology/molecular biologicay scientist, group leader of the Dep. Environmental Microbiology of the Institute for Technical Chemistry, Watertechnology and Geotechnology; occupations of many years in the field of molecular biology of bacteria in the field of water quality control; experience of many years in the field of biofilm analysis, detection of pathogen, antibiotic resistances in the aqutic environment, optimization of elimination and conditioning processes.

 

Jéssica Varela Villarreal, Biochemist, Specialist in Food Sciences. PhD Student of the Dep. Environmental Microbiology of the Institute for Technical Chemistry, Water technology and Geo-technology. Works in the field of molecular biology of bacteria, detection of pathogens in water, water bacterial population analysis and biological water quality control.