Meret Huber

Meret Huber is an Associate Professor at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz since 2023, where she is affiliated with the Institute of Molecular Evolution (iomE) in the Nat-Med-Building. Previously, she served as an Assistant Professor at the same institution in 2023 and led a junior research group at the University of Münster (2018-2022) following postdoctoral work at the Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Ecology.

Her academic foundation includes a PhD in Systematics & Evolution from the Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology (2012-2015), an MSc in Systematics & Evolution from the University of Zurich (2010-2012), and a BSc in Biology from the University of Zurich (2006-2009).

Huber's research spans Evolutionary Biology, Plant Genetics, and Chemical Ecology, focusing on transgenerational plasticity in clonal plants like duckweeds. She investigates how secondary metabolites (e.g., latex, flavonoids, natural rubber) mediate plant defense against herbivores and microbes, integrating genomic, epigenomic, and ecological approaches to study rapid adaptation. Her work reveals intricate fitness trade-offs in stress responses and the evolutionary implications of non-genetic inheritance.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2019-2025) shows consistent exploration of epigenetic mechanisms in plant adaptation, particularly in Spirodela polyrhiza. Key themes include copper-induced defense plasticity, microbiome modulation by plant compounds, and the genomic basis of facultative asexuality. Her research bridges molecular mechanisms with ecological outcomes, frequently appearing in high-impact journals like Nature Communications and New Phytologist.

As part of the GenEvo research group (Projects 10.3, 22.3, A.15), Huber leads the "Genomic mutation rate in duckweeds" project. She contributes to doctoral training in the Research Training Group (RTG), mentoring students in molecular evolutionary biology techniques. Her lab at the Nat-Med-Building (room 2.236) combines field studies with advanced genomic analyses to address fundamental questions in plant evolution.