معرفی
Prof. Dr. Alexander Schönhuth is a Professor at Bielefeld University, affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering, the Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), and the Institute for Bioinformatics Infrastructure (BIBI). He leads the Genome Data Science Group and serves as Head of Microbial Analyses and Services at BIBI. His academic roles include serving on the Faculty Conference as Personal Deputy for Prof. Dr. Helge Rhodin and as a Member of the Habilitation Committee. He provides academic student advisory services for the Master of Science in Computer Science program.
Prof. Schönhuth's research focuses on the intersection of bioinformatics, computational biology, and data science, with particular emphasis on genome data analysis and precision medicine. His work spans multiple domains including metagenome assembly, viral haplotype reconstruction, single-cell sequencing analysis, and the application of machine learning techniques to complex genetic diseases. He has developed numerous computational methods and tools such as StrainXpress, Strainline, VeChat, and ProSolo that address specific challenges in genomic data analysis.
His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward integrating advanced machine learning approaches, particularly deep learning and graph-based methods, with genomic data analysis. His work bridges the gap between theoretical computational methods and practical applications in healthcare, especially in precision medicine and oncology. The research demonstrates a consistent focus on developing scalable, accurate computational methods for analyzing complex genomic datasets, with increasing attention to clinical applications.
Prof. Schönhuth has secured significant research funding, including ongoing European Union support for the "Smart pathology slide scanner for diagnosis and patient-specific treatment recommendation in oncology" project (2025-2027) and previously completed the "ALgorithms for PAngenome Computational Analysis" (ALPACA) project (2021-2024), which was funded by the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie program. His research collaborations span multiple institutions across Europe including Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Comenius University Bratislava, Dutch Research Council, and others.
He leads the Genome Data Science Group within the Faculty of Engineering and is closely associated with the Bielefeld Center for Data Science (BiCDaS). His laboratory work focuses on developing computational methods for genomic data analysis, with particular attention to strain-aware metagenome assembly, viral quasispecies analysis, and precision medicine applications. The group maintains strong connections with both computational and biological research communities, facilitating interdisciplinary approaches to complex genomic challenges.
