Susanne Zehner
Professor
Department of Microbiology
State Research Center for Optics and Material Sciences
United States of America
Biography
1993-1998 Studies of Food chemistry at Technische Universität Dresden, Germany 1998 Diploma thesis at the Institute of Biochemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany 1998-2003 PhD in Biochemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany Supervisor: Karl-Heinz van Pée 2001 Visiting scientist at the Department of Functional Biology, University of Oviedo, Spain 2002-2015 Post-doc and group leader at the Institute of Genetics, Technische Universität Dresden Since 2016 Research associate at the Division Microbiology (AG Frankenberg-Dinkel)
Research Interest
Small nucleotide messenger molecules regulate a large number of cellular mechanisms. The formation and dispersal of biofilms by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is modulated by the concentration of the cyclic dinucleotide c-di-GMP in the cell. Several enzymes are involved in formation and degradation of this second messenger depending on different environmental cues. I am interested in these enzymes that are able to transduce external signals into a c-di-GMP mediated response. Biochemical, phenotypical and molecular genetic approaches are used to elucidate the detailed functions involved in the dispersal of biofilms.
