Julia Stefanschitz is a researcher at the GEOMAR Helmholtz-Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, specializing in Marine Ecology within the Research Division 3 (RD 3). She is affiliated with the Deep-Sea Biology Working Group, focusing on the study of fish and cephalopod communities in the deep ocean through environmental DNA (eDNA) collection and metabarcoding techniques. Research Focus: Deep-sea trophic interactions, with emphasis on deep-diving cetaceans and pelagic fauna observation using low-light cameras. Techniques: eDNA metabarcoding, deep-sea observation systems with optical lures. Key Research Areas: Environmental DNA analysis, deep-sea biodiversity, trophic dynamics, cephalopod behavior, cetacean ecology. Working Group: Deep-Sea Biology, part of RD 3: Marine Ecology at GEOMAR.
Prof. Dr. Birgit Gemeinholzer is a Professor at the University of Kassel, where she serves as Head of Working Group and Chair Holder in the Department of Botany within the Institute of Biology (FB 10). Her academic journey began with horticulture studies at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, followed by a Master of Science at the University and Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh. She earned her PhD at the University of Heidelberg focusing on Solanaceae phylogeny, held postdoctoral positions at IPK-Gatersleben, and worked as Research Associate at the Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem. Prior to her current position at Kassel, she served as Academic Councillor at Justus Liebig University of Giessen, where she completed her habilitation in plant systematics and biodiversity research and was appointed extraordinary professor in 2017. Prof. Gemeinholzer's research focuses primarily on plant metabarcoding, population genetic analyses of endangered plants, and networking of biological data. Her work bridges molecular techniques with ecological and conservation applications, particularly in understanding plant-insect interactions, genetic diversity in threatened species, and the development of biodiversity monitoring systems. She has made significant contributions to DNA barcoding methodologies, metabarcoding applications for environmental monitoring, and the conservation genetics of endangered plant species. Her research integrates cutting-edge molecular approaches with traditional botanical knowledge to address pressing conservation challenges. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on developing and applying molecular techniques for biodiversity assessment and conservation. Her work spans from fundamental methodological improvements in DNA metabarcoding to applied studies on plant-pollinator interactions, genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation, and the development of automated biodiversity monitoring systems. She frequently collaborates across disciplines, working with ecologists, data scientists, and conservation practitioners to translate molecular findings into practical conservation applications. Her research shows a clear trajectory toward integrating artificial intelligence with molecular data for more comprehensive ecosystem understanding. Prof. Gemeinholzer has been actively involved in major research initiatives including NFDI4Biodiversity (National Research Data Infrastructure for Biodiversity), the Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN), and the DNA Bank Network. She has contributed significantly to developing data standards and infrastructure for biodiversity research, particularly in the areas of DNA barcoding and metabarcoding. Her work on the Disentis Roadmap for biodiversity data release demonstrates her commitment to open science and data sharing practices in biodiversity research. At the University of Kassel, Prof. Gemeinholzer leads research activities focused on plant biodiversity assessment using molecular methods. Her laboratory develops and applies metabarcoding techniques for environmental monitoring, with particular emphasis on plant-insect interactions and conservation genetics of endangered species. She collaborates extensively with other researchers across Germany and internationally, contributing to large-scale biodiversity monitoring initiatives and conservation projects. Her work bridges fundamental research in plant systematics with practical applications for nature conservation.
Dr. Kingsly-Chuo Beng is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries in Bremerhaven, Germany, since 2023. His work focuses on marine biodiversity conservation through environmental DNA analysis and plankton studies, with active involvement in the CREATE II project on functional connectivity between Marine Protected Areas. His educational background includes: PhD in Ecology from the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (2010-2016) Bachelor of Science from the University of Buea, Cameroon (2003-2006) Dr. Beng's research integrates molecular ecology and conservation biology to address marine protected area connectivity, reef-associated biodiversity, and European oyster (Ostrea edulis) restoration. He specializes in eDNA metabarcoding techniques for genetic data analysis and cross-disciplinary synthesis with biophysical modeling. His career includes postdoctoral positions at the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (2022-2023), Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology (2020-2022), and Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in China (2017-2019). Fieldwork comprises research cruises for environmental DNA and plankton sampling, alongside project management for interdisciplinary research teams.
Prof. Dr. Jörg Löffler is a Full Professor and Chair at the Institute of Geography, University of Bonn , where he leads research in climatology, landscape ecology, and biogeography. His work emphasizes arctic-alpine and Mediterranean mountain ecosystems, long-term ecological monitoring, and nature-society interactions. His research interests include: Climatology and landscape ecology Arctic-alpine and Mediterranean mountain ecosystems Borealis and African savannahs Long-term ecosystem research Comparative mountain research Nature-society interactions Recent publications (2023–2025) demonstrate a strong focus on shrub growth dynamics, dendroecology, arthropod diversity, and environmental monitoring across Europe. His work combines field measurements with spatial modeling and long-term datasets, particularly from Central Norway, the Sierra Nevada, and other high-mountain regions. He frequently publishes in high-impact journals such as Journal of Ecology , New Phytologist , and Communications Biology . He is the Editor-in-Chief of ERDKUNDE – Journal of Human and Physical Geographies and leads the AG Löffler research group. His scientific contributions span climate-vegetation interactions, ecosystem degradation, and sustainability. Notable scientific roles and affiliations: Editor-in-Chief, ERDKUNDE Principal Investigator, Long-Term Alpine Ecosystem Research (LTAER-NO, LTAER-ES) Active collaborator in international ecological networks He supervises a team of researchers and students, including S. Dobbert, E. C. Albrecht, R. Pape, and D. Wundram, who are co-authors on many of his recent studies. His lab employs dendrochronology, remote sensing, and field ecology methods to understand ecosystem responses to global change.
Henrik Krehenwinkel is a Full Professor (W3) in the Department of Biogeography at the University of Trier , Germany. His research integrates genomic tools with field and lab experiments to study biological responses to global environmental change , focusing on arthropod communities in Europe and Pacific islands, particularly Hawaii. Employment history: Full Professor at Trier (2022–present), Assistant Professor (2018–2022), Postdoctoral Researcher at UC Berkeley (2015–2018), and Max Planck Institute (2014). Education: PhD in Evolutionary Genetics (2013), Diploma in Biology (2009) from Ruhr University Bochum, and studies in Molecular Ecology at IISc Bangalore (2008). Research Interests center on evolutionary adaptation , ecological community dynamics , and environmental DNA (eDNA) applications . Key project themes include retrospective biodiversity analysis , rapid field detection tools , agricultural pest monitoring , and eco-evolutionary responses of metaorganisms . His lab also investigates extreme sexual selection in spiders and invasive species biosecurity . Publications highlight genomic approaches to biodiversity monitoring, including eDNA from archived herbaria , molecular gut content analysis , and third-generation sequencing for taxonomy . Awards include the Konrad Thaler Dissertation Prize (2016), DFG Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015–2017), and summa cum laude distinctions. Teaching includes courses on Molecular Biogeography , Tropical Biodiversity Excursions (India/Hawaii), and Biology of Arachnids/Fishes . He leads environmental specimen bank projects and develops user-friendly eDNA detection systems for agricultural applications.
Susan Kennedy is a Postdoctoral Researcher and Laboratory Manager at the University of Trier, Department of Biogeography within the Faculty of Spatial and Environmental Sciences. Her research focuses on island biology, arthropod community ecology, molecular gut content analysis, and spider biodiversity and systematics, utilizing DNA metabarcoding and other advanced molecular techniques. University: University of Trier School: Spatial and Environmental Sciences Department: Biogeography Email: kennedy@uni-trier.de Education: Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy and Management from UC Berkeley (2018) B.A. in Biology from Earlham College (2008) Research Interests: Susan's work explores the intersection of molecular ecology and island biogeography, with a focus on spider biodiversity and arthropod community dynamics. She employs DNA metabarcoding to analyze predator-prey interactions and ecosystem structure, particularly in Pacific island systems affected by anthropogenic disturbance. Recent Publications: Her research contributes to understanding biodiversity patterns through high-throughput DNA sequencing, including studies on spider gut microbiomes, genome evolution, and environmental DNA sampling. She has developed protocols for cost-effective metabarcoding and has investigated the role of habitat fragmentation in microallopatric differentiation. Scientific Awards: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (2012-2017) NSF Graduate Research Internship Program (2016-2017) Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award (UC Berkeley, 2018) Bob Lane and Sandy Purcell Graduate Summer Award (UC Berkeley, 2017) Harvey I. Magy Memorial Scholarship (UC Berkeley, 2016) California Scholarship Fund (2016) Robert L. Usinger Memorial Award (UC Berkeley, 2015) Phi Beta Kappa induction (2008) Departmental and College Honors at Earlham College (2008) Millard S. Markle Award for Field Biology (Earlham College, 2008) Teaching Experience: She has served as Graduate Student Instructor for Spider Biology and Field Entomology at UC Berkeley, and as an SAT Instructor and Undergraduate Teaching Assistant at PowerScore and Earlham College, respectively. Her project 'Pacific Scanner' involves international collaboration across Germany, Japan, and the USA.
Dr. Carina CM Moura is a Postdoc researcher at the Department of Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding within the University of Göttingen . She contributes to the Collaborative Research Center 990 (Ecological and Socioeconomic Functions of Tropical Lowland Rainforest Transformation Systems) through DNA barcoding and molecular analyses to assess biodiversity and ecological impacts of land-use changes. Education : 2018 PhD in Natural Sciences (Heidelberg University), 2012 Master’s in Ecology (Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco), 2010 Bachelor’s in Biology (Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco). Her research spans DNA barcoding , conservation of tropical biodiversity , phylogeography , and environmental risk assessment . Her recent work focuses on landscape effects on phylogenetic and functional diversity, integrating molecular techniques with ecological modeling. The analysis of her publications highlights interdisciplinary contributions to evolutionary biology , conservation genetics , and ecosystem management , with case studies in South American birds, Southeast Asian dipterocarps, and marine species affected by light pollution.
T. Santl-Temkiv is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Aarhus University, Denmark, with extensive expertise in atmospheric microbiology and microbial ecology. Previously, they held a PostDoc position in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Aarhus University from July 2012 to October 2016. Research focuses on the role of microorganisms in atmospheric processes, particularly ice-nucleating bacteria and their impact on cloud formation. Current work examines biogenic ice-nucleating particles in Arctic marine environments, microbial communities in the sea-surface microlayer, and airborne fungal diversity in tropical forests. The research spans diverse ecosystems from the Arctic to the Amazon rainforest and Antarctic regions. Recent publications reveal significant trends in atmospheric microbiology research, with emphasis on how climate change affects microbial dispersal patterns, the role of terrestrial runoff in transporting ice-nucleating particles to Arctic marine systems, and the biogeochemical implications of microbial activity in polar environments during sea ice melt. Affiliation and Research Highlights: Current faculty position in Department of Biology, Aarhus University Specializes in atmospheric microbiology and ice nucleation processes Conducts field research in Arctic, Antarctic, and tropical ecosystems Develops novel instrumentation for ice nucleation detection Studies microbial responses to climate change in sensitive environments Research is supported through numerous collaborations with international institutions and contributes significantly to understanding how microorganisms influence atmospheric processes and climate systems. The work bridges microbiology, atmospheric science, and climate research, providing insights into biological feedback mechanisms in Earth's climate system.
Research Professor Laura E. Rose leads evolutionary genetics research at the Institute of Population Genetics, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Her work bridges population genetics, phylogenetics, and plant-microbiome interactions to decode complex adaptations in plant systems. Her research program centers on reconstructing evolutionary histories of adaptive traits through: Quantitative analysis of natural genetic variation under controlled and field conditions Investigation of plant-microbiota metabolic networks and edaphic adaptation Synthetic biology approaches for plant performance optimization Theoretical modeling of plant development-metabolism interfaces Current projects include the Plant Metabolism and Metabolomics Facility and Imaging Platform development. Analysis of her 2016-2023 publications reveals a strategic evolution from foundational population genomics toward integrated plant-microbiome systems biology. Her work demonstrates increasing methodological sophistication in combining field phenotyping with multi-omics approaches, particularly in protist microbiome characterization and defense metabolite pathway analysis across monocot/dicot systems. Key thematic progression shows movement from single-species genetics toward complex community-level interactions. No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials. Mentoring activities and grant funding details were not specified in the source texts.
