Heisenberg Programme

Evolutionary Genetics in Infection and Immunity

Prof. Dr. Tobias Lenz dedicates his Heisenberg Professorship to cutting-edge research on co-evolution between hosts and their parasites as one of the most important drivers of the evolution of genetic diversity. The research focus lies on genomic-level analyses of the evolutionary dynamics of host-parasite associations and their immunogenetic adaptations in natural populations.

Research topics include genetics and genomics of host-parasite coevolution, evolutionary trade-offs that shape individual antigen presentation, and the evolutionary dynamics of the T cell repertoire under natural and experimental conditions.

Mycorrhizal Control of Biogeochemical Cycles in Forests: The Influence of Tree Diversity and Scale

With her Heisenberg professorship, Prof. Dr. Ina Meier investigates the interaction between forest trees and soil microorganisms. In particular, this concerns interactions with changing climatic conditions, such as increasing atmospheric CO₂ and N deposition, the increasing risk of summer droughts and heat waves, and the loss of biodiversity. These critical components of global change can affect the strength of carbon sinks and the nutrient and water cycle of temperate forests.

Prof. Dr. Christian Beer applies his Heisenberg Professorship for Soil Process Dynamics to research on the carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems.
In particular, he explores land-atmosphere interactions, feedback processes, and energy fluxes of Siberian permafrost soils.
On the latter topic he is the lead author of a publication in the journal Nature Scientific Reports entitled "Protection of Permafrost Soils from Thawing by Increasing Herbivore Density".

Prof. Dr. Jochen Liske receives a Heisenberg-Förderung since 2018 for his project Structure and galaxy evolution with WAVES.

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