Klaus Wimmers

Klaus Wimmers is a Professor for Animal Breeding and Domestic Animal Genetics at the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, and serves as the Director of the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) in Dummerstorf since 2016. He leads the Physiological Genomics Working Group and has a long-standing academic career including prior roles at the University of Bonn, where he completed his habilitation and served as an extraordinary professor. His research is centered on the molecular mechanisms underlying productive adaptation in farm animals.

His research interests span animal breeding, genotype-phenotype mapping, epigenetics, transcriptional regulation, and nutrient utilization, with a strong focus on phosphorus metabolism, stress responses, and host-microbiome interactions in pigs, poultry, and ruminants. His work integrates genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics to understand livestock adaptation and efficiency.

The recent publications indicate a consistent research trajectory in mineral metabolism, particularly phosphorus and calcium homeostasis, epigenetic regulation in stem cells and tissues, and gene expression responses to dietary and environmental challenges. His team frequently employs high-throughput omics techniques to dissect complex traits in farm animals, contributing to sustainable livestock production.

Klaus Wimmers has made significant contributions to the field through collaborative research, evidenced by numerous co-authored publications in top-tier journals such as BMC Genomics, Plos One, and Frontiers in Genetics. His leadership in national and international consortia, such as the Ruminant Telomere-to-Telomere (RT2T) Consortium, underscores his scientific impact.

He has been actively involved in teaching molecular animal breeding at both the University of Bonn (1996–2015) and the University of Rostock (since 2011). His laboratory at FBN conducts cutting-edge research in physiological genomics, with a focus on improving animal health, welfare, and resource efficiency in agricultural systems. The team investigates genetic and epigenetic factors influencing feed efficiency, stress resilience, and metabolic regulation across multiple livestock species.