Jennifer Gerke

Dr. Jennifer Gerke is a Researcher at the Institute of Organic Chemistry within the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Leibniz University Hannover. Her work focuses on microbial secondary metabolism, fungal development, and synthetic biology. She leads research in the Synthetic Biology Group and contributes to interdisciplinary projects in organic chemistry and molecular biology.

Her research explores mechanisms of fungal adaptation, including secondary metabolite regulation, transcription factor networks, and plant-microbe interactions. Recent studies highlight novel biosynthetic pathways, pathogen virulence mechanisms, and applications in biotechnology such as fragrance production in yeast.

Key contributions include discoveries in tropolone biosynthesis, velvet domain protein functions, and the role of Hülle cells in fungal survival. Her work bridges fundamental research with applied biotechnology, addressing topics from antibiotic discovery to metabolic engineering.