Team

Felix M. Key - PI

I am a Max Planck Research Group Leader at the MPI for Infection Biology. Previously I was a postdoc fellow in the lab of Tami Lieberman at MIT (Cambridge, USA), where I identified rapid on-person microbial evolution being associated with chronic disease. Before that I worked as a postdoc associate in paleomicrobiology with Johannes Krause at the MPI for the Science of Human History (Jena, Germany), providing first molecular evidence that the transition from a hunter-gatherer to agricultural lifestyle during prehistory has led to the emergence of human adapted pathogens. I completed my PhD in population genetics under the supervision of Aida Andrés in the department of Svante Pääbo at the MPI for Evolutionary Anthropology (Leipzig, Germany).

My current research involves the development and application of methods to integrate population genomic datasets to understand the evolution of bacterial pathogens on a historical (ancient DNA) and rapid (within person) time scale. CV (last update 04/2020) Twitter GoogleScholar

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Anne Katherine Runge - Postdoc

I received my PhD in Evolutionary Genomics from University of Copenhagen (Denmark) and in Archaeology from University of York (U.K.) in 2021. My research is focused on the study of ancient biomolecules (DNA and proteins) that are preserved in archaeological remains. While at the MPIIB, I will help establish a clean lab for the processing of archaeological skeletal remains where preserved microbial DNA can provide new insight into the history and evolution of infectious diseases.

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Meike Soerensen - Lab Manager

Meike has thorough experience in microbiology and molecular biology. Meike is managing our wet lab and spearheading the implementation and application of robotic automation (Tecan-SciRobotics), culturing, and ancient DNA preparation.

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Martin Fenk - Ph.D. Student

I received my B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biology from the University of Regensburg (Germany) where I studied the transcriptomic regulation in a hyperthermopilic Archaeon. During this time, I became more and more interested in the evolution of microbes, driving their immense genetic variability and profound biological success. I joined the Key lab as a graduate student to dive deeper into the evolutionary genomics of microbes during health and disease. 

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Ian Light - Ph.D. Student

I received my B.A. with Honors from Brown University (USA) for my studies in Biology and Egyptology where I worked on studying mito-nuclear co-evolution and incompatibilities using genomic data within the Rand Lab. I am deeply interested in both evolution and ancient history, in addition to the ethics of research on the ancient past. I am combining my passions and past experience in my project in the Key lab focusing on understanding the evolution of ancient pathogens. 

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Veronica Rożek - Ph.D. Student

I earned my MSc in Microbiology and Infection from the University of Birmingham and my BSc in Microbiology and Biochemistry from the University of Sheffield. During my training I gained appreciation of rapid microbial evolution in an experimental setting and the power of whole genome analysis. At the Key lab I will amalgamate my prior experiences and my current research interest in pathogen evolution. My particular enthusiasm lies in exploring the evolutionary trajectories of pathogens, with the aim of enhancing our understanding about the emergence of virulent traits.

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Remmora Gomaid - Master Student

I received My bachelor's degree in biology at the Humboldt university in Berlin, where I am currently enrolled in the quantitative molecular biology master program. At the Key lab I perform my master thesis research in the area of microbiome evolution, combining wet and dry lab techniques.

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Laura Ostertag - Bachelor Student

Currently I finish my Bachelor program in Biotechnology at Technische Universität Berlin, where I became fascinated by microbial evolution and pathogenicity. At the Key lab I am pursing my bachelor thesis immersed in the captivating field of evolutionary microbiology during health and disease.

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Alumni

Elina Coquery: intern summer 2023, now back at University Côte d'Azur finishing her MSc.

Lisa Skroblin: research assistant, now finishing MSc in Bioinformatics at Potsdam University

 

 

Pictures