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  • Biotechnological production processes (lecture)
  • Enzymes: purification, characterization, mechanisms (lecture)

  • Source-related control and treatment of mining water in Saxony (funded by Krüger foundation)
    - Investigation of the microbiological community in the mine (metagenomic studies)
    - Establishing a fast assay for the identification of hotspots/ metal-contaminated sites
    - Investigating biotic and abiotic factors for metal release
     
  • Styrene oxides isomerases from soil bacteria for biotechnological application (funded by DBU)
    - Investigation of styrene degradation in soil bacteria
    - Isolation of novel styrene-degrading microorganisms (description of the novel species Sphingopyxis fribergensis)
    - Recombinant membrane protein expression
    - Establishing biotechnological processes for the syntheses of phenylacetaldehydes and phenylacetic acids
    - Usage of co-metabolic pathways for synthesis
     
  • Biotechnological synthesis of aromatic carboxylic acids or aromatic alcohols from natural resources (funded by DBU)
    - Usage of natural or recombinant enzyme cascades for biosyntheses
    - Gene syntheses and gene modifications, promoter construction
    - Whole-cell biocatalysis
    - Establishment of bioprocesses for industrial applications (E. coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens, ...)
    - Gene-Knock-Outs in pseudomonads and E. coli
    - Optimization of co-metabolic processes
    - Fermenter-based cultivation and transformation
     
  • Production of antioxidants for industrial applications (funded by Krüger foundation)
    - Establishing industrial processes for antioxidant production
    - Up-scaling and downstream-development
    - Establishing an economic strategy for an industrial application of the processes and products (business plan)
    - Genetic optimization of biocatalysts by constructing expression cassettes and genes
     
  • Production of caffeic acid for the synthesis of a novel and sustainable antioxidant (funded by SMWA, EFRE and Krüger foundation)
    - Screening for plants with important target compounds + investigating level of useful ingredients during vegetation period to estimate harvest time
    - Organization of open-field and glashouse cultivation with partners using selected plants
    - Establishing methods to isolate + enzymatically transform plant ingredients into caffeic acid and to purify the acid obtained
    - Up-scaling process and purification, e.g. by preparative HPLC
    - Using the self-produced "green" caffeic acid as a basis for antioxidant synthesis + establishing a complete and up-scaled process
    - Carrying out market analyzes and surveys to estimate the economic potential of the process
    - Economic analysis of the entire process including cost-analysis

2011-2014 Ph.D scholarship from the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)
2015 Ph.D award "Bernhard von Cotta Preis" of the "Verein der Freunde und Förderer der TU Bergakademie Freiberg e.V."
2016 Award for the best theses on the topic "resource efficiency" (in Saxony) awarded by the "Dresdner Gesprächskreis der Wirtschaft und der Wissenschaft e.V."

  • Student research project (2009): Identifikation des Styrolabbaus in Rhodococcus opacus 1CP. - Identification of the styrene metabolism in Rhodococcus opacus 1CP.
  • Diploma project (2010): Anreicherung und biochemische Charakterisierung der Styroloxid-Isomerase aus Rhodococcus opacus 1CP. - Enrichment and biochemical characterization of the styrene oxide isomerase from Rhodococcus opacus 1CP.
  • Dissertation (2015): Identification of bacterial styrene oxide isomerases and evaluation of their applicability for the environment-friendly synthesis of phenylacetaldehydes.
Study and Professional background
since 2021Scientist at Environmental Microbiology Group, TUBAF, Validation-Project, funded by SMWA, EFRE and Krüger foundation (head of the project)
2019-2020Scientist at Environmental Microbiology Group, TUBAF, Krüger-Project (head of the project)
since 2018Lecturer at the TUBAF
2015-2017Scientist at Environmental Microbiology Group, TUBAF, DBU-Project (head of the project)
2015Graduation: Dr. rer. nat., TUBAF
2011-2015Ph.D.: at Environmental Microbiology Group, TUBAF, DBU-Scholarship
2010Graduation: Dipl.-Nat., TUBAF
2008Study: Environmental Microbiology / Biotechnology, TUBAF
2005-2010Study: Applied Natural Science, TU Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF)