Christiane Wolz

Christiane Wolz is an Adjunct Professor at the Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen. Her research focuses on the regulatory mechanisms and adaptive strategies of Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen responsible for diverse infections ranging from skin abscesses to life-threatening sepsis.

Her work explores how S. aureus survives phagocytosis by professional immune cells, adapts via the stringent response (a stress-induced (p)ppGpp signaling pathway), and maintains population heterogeneity to enhance fitness during infections. She also investigates the role of temperate phages in horizontal gene transfer, virulence evolution, and host-specific adaptation.

Dr. Wolz's research projects are supported by the DFG (German Research Foundation), including grants on skin immunity, bacterial stress survival, and Staphylococcus pathophysiology. Her lab collaborates with experts in immunology, structural biology, and bioinformatics to dissect molecular interactions during colonization and infection.

Key trends in her recent publications include the role of (p)ppGpp in antibiotic tolerance, phage receptor-binding dynamics, capsular polysaccharide interference with host defenses, and stress-induced mutations in S. aureus populations. These studies employ molecular genetics, transcriptomics, and structural analysis to uncover therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Lab Members:

• Lisa Münzenmayer
• Fabio Gratani
• Petra Horvatek
• Shilpa George
• Daniela Keinhörster
• Carina Rohmer