Hans-Peter Grossart

Prof. Hans-Peter Grossart is a Professor of Aquatic Microbial Ecology and Functional Biodiversity at the University of Potsdam, within the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and the Institute of Biochemistry and Biology. He leads the Aquatic Microbial Ecology research group at the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), where he has been Head of the Department since 2002. His expertise spans microbial community dynamics, organic matter cycling, and applications of aquatic ecology in biotechnology. He has held roles including Head of ASLO’s Young Researcher’s Committee and speaker of the IGB’s Aquatic Biodiversity research focus. Grossart’s research integrates field studies, experimental approaches, and genomic tools to address environmental challenges like microplastic impacts, climate-driven ecosystem changes, and biodiversity conservation.

Education:

• Diploma in Limnology (1991), University of Constance
• PhD in Limnology (1995), University of Constance
• Postdoctoral research at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (1996–1998) and Yigal Allon Kinneret Limnological Laboratory (1995–1996)

Research Interests: Grossart’s work focuses on microbial roles in nutrient cycles, aquatic biodiversity, and the ecological impacts of human activities. He investigates topics such as microbial interactions in lake ecosystems, fungal diversity, and the effects of pollutants like microplastics and PFAS. His projects bridge fundamental and applied research, including biotechnology applications for waste management and bioactive compound discovery.

Key Contributions:

• Global studies on microplastic effects and antibiotic resistance dissemination
• Pioneering work on lake snow aggregates and their ecological significance
• Leadership in large-scale ecological monitoring and long-term dataset analysis

Labs/Teams: Heads the IGB’s Aquatic Microbial Ecology group and collaborates internationally on projects like the ParAqua initiative to study zoosporic parasites in aquatic systems.