Principal Investigators
Funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Cluster of Excellence 'Balance of the Microverse' will enter its next seven-year funding period in 2026 — with the following Principal Investigators driving forward the Cluster's interdisciplinary research.
Miriam Agler-Rosenbaum
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Rosalind Allen
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Microverse Professor for Theoretical Microbial Ecology
Michael Bauer
University of Jena
Jena University Hospital, Clinic for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine
Axel A. Brakhage
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Diana Dudziak
Jena University Hospital, Institute of Immunology
Bas E. Dutilh
University of Jena, Institute of Biodiversity
Microverse Professor for Viral Ecology and Omics
Christian Eggeling
University of Jena, Institute of Applied Optics
Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology
Marc Thilo Figge
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Ute Hellmich
University of Jena, Institute of Organic Chemistry & Macromolecular Chemistry
Microverse Professor for Biostructural Interactions
Christian Hertweck
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute
Bernhard Hube
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Kirsten Küsel
University of Jena, Institute of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution
Manja Marz
University of Jena, Institute of Informatics
Maria Mittag
University of Jena, Matthias Schleiden Institute of Genetics, Molecular Botany
Alexander S. Mosig
Jena University Hospital, Center for Sepsis Control and Care
Sarah O'Connor
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Natural Product Biosynthesis
Gianni Panagiotou
University of Jena
Microverse Professor for Microbiome Dynamics
Kai Papenfort
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Georg Pohnert
University of Jena, Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
Jürgen Popp
University of Jena, Institute of Physical Chemistry
Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology
Pierre Stallforth
University of Jena, Institute for Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute; Paleobiotechnology
Christoph Steinbeck
University of Jena, Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
Dario R. Valenzano
University of Jena, Faculty of Medicine
Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)
Christina Warinner
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Department of Archeogenetics
Ricarda Winkelmann
Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology
Associated Investigators
Matthew Agler
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Hans-Dieter Arndt
University of Jena, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry
Amelia Barber
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Matthew Blango
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Sebastian Böcker
University of Jena, Institute of Computer Science
Clara Correia-Melo
Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)
Joachim Denzler
University of Jena, Institute of Computer Science
German Aerospace Center, Institute of Data Science
Melike Dönertas
Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)
Maria Ermolaeva
Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)
Kathrin Fröhlich
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Joachim Giesen
University of Jena, Institute of Computer Science
Mark Gresnigt
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Luzia Gyr
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Rainer Heintzmann
University of Jena, Institute of Physical Chemistry
Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology
Dirk Hoffmeister
University of Jena, Institute of Pharmacy
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Stephanie Höppener
University of Jena, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Makromolecular Chemistry
Uwe Hoßfeld
University of Jena, Head of the Biology Education Department
Ilse D. Jacobsen
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Slavica Janevska
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Christian Jogler
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Martin Kaltenpoth
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Insect Symbiosis
Nikolaus Knoepffler
University of Jena, Ethics Center
Birgitta König-Ries
University of Jena, Institute of Computer Science
Erika Kothe
University of Jena, Institute of Microbiology
Markus Lakemeyer
University of Jena, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry
Bettina Löffler
University of Jena
Jena University Hospital, Institute of Medical Microbiology
Gerhard G. Paulus
University of Jena, Institute of Optics and Quantum Electronics
Kalina Peneva
University of Jena, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Makromolecular Chemistry
Thomas Pertsch
University of Jena, Institute of Applied Physics
Ioachim Pupeza
Leibniz Institute for Photonic Technology
Felix H. Schacher
University of Jena, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry
Ulrich S. Schubert
University of Jena, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry
Stefan Schuster
University of Jena, Matthias Schleiden Institute of Genetics, Bioinformatics
Christian Spielmann
University of Jena, Institute of Optics and Quantum Electronics
Andreas Stallmach
Jena University Hospital, Internal Medicine IV
Martin Taubert
University of Jena, Biodiversity, Institute of Ecology and Evolution
Kai Uwe Totsche
University of Jena
Susan E. Trumbore
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Department of Biogeochemical Processes
Andreas Tünnermann
University of Jena, Institute of Applied Physics
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering
Ivan Vilotijevic
University of Jena, Institute for Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry
Claudia Waskow
University of Jena, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)
Sebastian Weis
Jena University Hospital, Institute of Infectious Medicine and Hospital Hygiene
Oliver Werz
University of Jena, Institute for Pharmacy
Christina Zielinski
University of Jena
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute
Johannes Zimmermann
University of Jena, Institute of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution