New Chapter for Amelia Barber: From Jena to Kiel

After a highly successful time in the Cluster of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse,” Amelia Barber is taking the next major step in her academic career. Starting July 1, she will join the Research Center Borstel – Leibniz Lung Center as a group leader, alongside with a W3 Professorship at Kiel University.

In her new role as Chair and Professor for Functional Microbiome Research of Chronic Lung Diseases, she will continue her pioneering interdisciplinary work bridging microbiology, computational data analysis, and infection biology.

At the Microverse Cluster, Barber established the Junior Research Group “Fungal Informatics,” investigating how fungi such as Aspergillus develop into human pathogens. By combining experimental microbiology with computational analyses, her work has significantly contributed to a better understanding of fungal adaptation, host interactions, and antifungal resistance.

Beyond her scientific achievements, she has played a pivotal role in strengthening cross-disciplinary collaboration within the cluster and advancing fungal microbiome research in Jena.

“The Microverse has been an incredibly stimulating environment for the research in my group,” says Barber. “Working with other Microverse investigators at the interface of microbiology, computational biology, and infection research has strongly shaped my perspective. I’m especially grateful for the many inspiring collaborations across disciplines — and excited to continue developing these ideas in Kiel and Borstel.”

The cluster warmly congratulates Amelia Barber on this outstanding career milestone and wishes her all the best for the exciting chapter ahead in Kiel and Borstel.