Beate Slaby

Dr. Beate Slaby serves as Coordinator of the Helmholtz Program-Oriented Funding (POF) in the 'Changing Earth - Sustaining our Future' program, focusing on Topic 6 'Marine and Polar Life' since 2022. She is based at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany. Prior roles include Research Associate (2019–2022) and Postdoc in the EU-funded SponGES project (2017–2019). Her academic journey includes a PhD in Life Sciences (2013–2017) and degrees in Geosciences from LMU and TU Munich.

Her research focuses on marine microbiology, particularly sponge-microbe symbiosis, deep-sea ecosystems, and environmental drivers of microbial biodiversity. She leads projects analyzing sponge microbiomes' roles in nutrient cycling and climate adaptation, emphasizing their conservation relevance. Key contributions include genomic studies of symbionts in coral reefs and Arctic sponges, revealing novel metabolic adaptations.

Her work spans over 30 peer-reviewed articles, including studies on symbiotic metabolism, microbial nitrogen engines, and Arctic sponge locomotion. Her coordination of large-scale initiatives integrates interdisciplinary approaches to address Earth system challenges. She actively participates in international ocean research networks and policy-oriented funding frameworks.