Christian Janzen

Christian Janzen is a Professor of Developmental Biology at the University of Würzburg since 2011, leading the Janzen Lab. He holds a PhD in Virology from the University of Freiburg (2001), and conducted postdoctoral research at the Rockefeller University. His research focuses on chromatin-associated mechanisms in protozoan parasites, particularly Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania. Key interests include antigenic variation, host adaptation, and developmental differentiation through epigenetic regulation. Collaborations with Dr. Falk Butter at the FLI in Greifswald utilize high-throughput proteomics to study chromatin remodeling. Current projects aim to extend findings to Leishmania parasites.

Education: Diploma in Biology (RWTH Aachen, 1998), PhD (Freiburg, 2001), Habilitation in Genetics (LMU Munich, 2011). Research highlights include pioneering work on histone modifications in African trypanosomes and their role in parasite survival strategies. The lab investigates mechanisms enabling parasitic cells to adapt across diverse host environments, with implications for combating tropical diseases.

Research focuses on: Histone methylation dynamics, antigenic variation evasion mechanisms, and proteomic profiling of developmental processes in Leishmania. No scientific awards explicitly listed, but significant contributions to parasitology are evident through publication record.

Labs/Teams: Janzen Lab at the Chair of Cell and Developmental Biology, collaborating with FLI Greifswald. Future directions include transferring knowledge to study Leishmania and understanding host-parasite interactions at molecular levels.