Rainer Breitling

Rainer Breitling is a Professor of Systems Biology at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester since September 2012. He previously held professorial positions at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands) and the University of Glasgow (UK), with postdoctoral training in bioinformatics at San Diego State University and the University of Glasgow. His research focuses on computational approaches to understand biological systems through systems biology and synthetic biology. Key areas include dynamic systems modelling, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and engineering 'designer microbes'.

• Education:
  • Biochemistry studies at University of Hannover (Germany)
  • Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Technical University of Munich (2001)

Research Interests: Breitling's work spans systems biology topics such as:

• Modelling cell signaling and metabolism using techniques like differential equations and constraint-based approaches
• Developing metabolomics tools for analyzing high-resolution mass spectrometry data
• Creating statistical methods for gene expression analysis (e.g., RankProducts)
• Applying synthetic biology to engineer microorganisms for biomanufacturing

Collaborations & Projects: Involved in major initiatives like the Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre and projects focused on microbial strain improvement, terpene biosynthesis, and metabolomics-driven engineering. His work contributes to UN SDGs through sustainable biomanufacturing and biomedical innovations.

Awards & Recognition: While no specific awards are listed, his extensive publication record (225+ papers) reflects significant academic impact. He is a Fellow of the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and actively collaborates globally.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Breitling Group at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, focusing on computational systems biology, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology applications.