Christa Schleper

Christa Schleper is a Full Professor (Univ.-Prof.) at the University of Vienna, Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology. She leads the Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit and the Christa Schleper Lab, which focuses on the ecology, evolution, and genomics of Archaea, particularly ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota, Lokiarchaeota, and CRISPR systems in thermophiles.

Education & Affiliations:

• University of Vienna – Faculty of Life Sciences
• Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology
• Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit

Research Focus:
Her work spans archaeal ecology and evolution, environmental genomics, and microbial interactions in both environmental and human-associated contexts. Key themes include the role of Archaea in nitrogen cycling, the evolution of chromatin in Asgard archaea, and CRISPR-mediated viral defense in Sulfolobus.

Funding & Projects:
Schleper has led numerous high-impact projects funded by the ERC, Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Horizon Europe, and the Grantham Foundation. Notable projects include:

• TACK and Lokiarchaeota Evolution (ERC Advanced Grant)
• Human skin-associated Archaea (FWF)
• EvoChromo: Rise of genome architecture (FWF Emerging Fields)
• Archaea for Human Health (ERC Proof of Concept)

Scientific Awards:

• Wittgenstein Prize – Austria’s highest scientific honor

Lab & Team:
She mentors a diverse team of postdocs and graduate students, including Melina Kerou, Logan Hodgskiss, Thiago Rodrigues de Oliveira, and others. Her lab is internationally recognized for its contributions to archaeal microbiology and evolutionary biology.