Helena Schulz-Mirbach

Helena Schulz-Mirbach is a Doctoral Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, working within the research group (AG) of Erb. Her research focuses on synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, with a strong emphasis on designing novel biochemical pathways for carbon fixation and expanding microbial metabolic capabilities. Her work integrates computational modeling with experimental approaches to engineer microbes capable of utilizing alternative carbon sources and optimizing metabolic networks.

Her research interests span synthetic CO2 fixation cycles, metabolic sensor design, and the engineering of microbial systems for biotechnological applications. She has contributed to projects such as the development of the THETA cycle and β-hydroxyaspartate cycle, which enhance microbial growth on unconventional substrates like ethylene glycol.

Recent studies highlight her exploration of non-natural pathways for CO2 assimilation, surpassing natural systems like the Calvin cycle in efficiency. She also investigates metabolic flexibility in E. coli and the optimization of enzymes critical for novel biochemical conversions.

No scientific awards have been explicitly mentioned in the provided information. Her work is primarily centered within the AG Erb team, contributing to foundational research in synthetic biology and microbial systems biology.