Pierre Stallforth

Pierre Stallforth is Professor of Bioorganic Chemistry and Paleobiotechnology at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Deputy Director of the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI) since 2022. He also heads the Department of Paleobiotechnology at Leibniz-HKI, a position he has held since 2020. His research bridges ancient and modern microbiology to discover novel natural products with potential therapeutic applications.

Dr. Stallforth's research focuses on paleobiotechnology—exploring natural products from prehistoric microbiomes—and understanding microbial predator-prey interactions. His work combines ancient DNA analysis with modern molecular biology to resurrect ancient biosynthetic pathways and discover novel compounds. He investigates polymicrobial communities, particularly amoebae-bacteria interactions, and studies polyketides in Dictyostelium discoideum. His innovative approach adds a temporal dimension to natural product discovery, searching for molecules that have disappeared from modern ecosystems but could hold keys to new antibiotics.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward interdisciplinary research combining paleogenomics, chemical ecology, and molecular biology. The work spans from fundamental studies of microbial interactions to applied research on antibiotic discovery, with a particular emphasis on how bacteria defend themselves against predators through specialized metabolites. His group has made significant contributions to understanding the chemical language of microbial communities and how this informs new approaches to combating antibiotic resistance.

• 2024 Medac Research Award
• 2023 Medac Research Award
• 2020 Academy of Sciences Göttingen, Academy Prize for Chemistry
• 2019 DECHEMA Research Award Natural Product Research
• 2018 Medac Research Award and Best Talk Prize at Bioorganic Symposium
• 2016 Medac Research Award
• PNAS Cozzarelli Prize 2021 for paper on bacterial cooperation

Professor Stallforth actively mentors doctoral researchers in his department, with current students including Harikumar R Suma, Raed Nachawati, and Kevin Schlabach. His group collaborates extensively with Prof. Christina Warinner from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Harvard University on paleobiotechnology projects. The Stallforth lab has secured significant funding through fellowships including the Feodor Lynen-postdoc fellowship, Swiss National Fund Postdoc fellowship, and Daimler and Benz Foundation fellowship, supporting innovative research at the intersection of ancient and modern microbiology.

The Stallforth lab maintains a vibrant research environment with numerous postdocs, PhD students, and technical staff working on cutting-edge projects in paleobiotechnology and microbial interactions. The team utilizes advanced equipment including PCR machines, fluorescence microscopes, HPLC/LC-MS systems, and protein purification systems to investigate natural product biosynthesis and microbial ecology. Their collaborative approach extends to multiple departments within Leibniz-HKI and international partners, fostering a dynamic research ecosystem focused on discovering novel bioactive compounds from both ancient and contemporary microbial sources.