Project Details
Projekt
GSC 214: Jena School for Microbial Communication (JSMC)
Subject Area
Microbiology, Virology and Immunology
Term
from 2007 to 2018
Website
Homepage
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 39071934
The "Jena School for Microbial Communication" (JSMC) was established in 2006 as an umbrella organisation of three existing Research Training Groups. JSMC conceptionally combines their different research and training areas (microbial communities, host interactions with plants, animals and humans, environmental interactions) to a comprehensive picture of microbial communication. JSMC offers a PhD programme based on MSc degrees and seeks to attract highly motivated PhD students who will be trained in a structured, interdisciplinary, research oriented programme. The programme is based on extension of existing cooperative research, involves non-university research institutions and includes direct involvement of companies with exchange of results in collaborative PhD projects.
The education of young scientists within JSMC is based on top-level fundamental research in microbial communication. Communication of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) relies on exchange of molecules among organisms of one species, different species or with the environment. Mediators of signalling, like secondary metabolites of bacteria and fungi, are produced by one partner and decoded by a second partner. The resulting regulation and development allows initiation of interactions with microorganisms, with plants in the rhizo- or phyllosphere, with animals or man or with multitrophic consortia in soil.
The long-term goal of JSMC therefore is to provide detailed insight into production, excretion, spatial distribution, perception and translation of signals, as well as resulting development. To understand formation and stability of microbial consortia and their interactive networks an interdisciplinary approach involving bioinformatics and systems biology will allow modelling of the multipartner and homo- and heterogenic consortia.
With JSMC, three years of PhD are strictly enforced with interdisciplinary education and cumulative PhD theses aiding early responsibility for publication of data. A career development plan for every PhD student allows the two mentors to advise for optimal time and scientific management. JSMC will address a common problem for graduates, which is the time just after PhD prior to employment, when especially women often abort a future scientific career. In addition to existing associated junior research groups, the university has installed two floating junior research groups. To set an incentive for the graduates of JSMC, a junior professor position for every cohort of students is provided.
The education of young scientists within JSMC is based on top-level fundamental research in microbial communication. Communication of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) relies on exchange of molecules among organisms of one species, different species or with the environment. Mediators of signalling, like secondary metabolites of bacteria and fungi, are produced by one partner and decoded by a second partner. The resulting regulation and development allows initiation of interactions with microorganisms, with plants in the rhizo- or phyllosphere, with animals or man or with multitrophic consortia in soil.
The long-term goal of JSMC therefore is to provide detailed insight into production, excretion, spatial distribution, perception and translation of signals, as well as resulting development. To understand formation and stability of microbial consortia and their interactive networks an interdisciplinary approach involving bioinformatics and systems biology will allow modelling of the multipartner and homo- and heterogenic consortia.
With JSMC, three years of PhD are strictly enforced with interdisciplinary education and cumulative PhD theses aiding early responsibility for publication of data. A career development plan for every PhD student allows the two mentors to advise for optimal time and scientific management. JSMC will address a common problem for graduates, which is the time just after PhD prior to employment, when especially women often abort a future scientific career. In addition to existing associated junior research groups, the university has installed two floating junior research groups. To set an incentive for the graduates of JSMC, a junior professor position for every cohort of students is provided.
DFG Programme
Graduate Schools
Applicant Institution
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Participating Institution
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Optik und Feinmechanik (IOF); Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ); Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie e. V.
Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI); Leibniz-Institut für Photonische Technologien e.V. (IPHT); Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie (MPI-BGC); Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Ökologie
Beutenberg Campus
Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI); Leibniz-Institut für Photonische Technologien e.V. (IPHT); Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie (MPI-BGC); Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Ökologie
Beutenberg Campus
Spokesperson
Professor Dr. Axel Brakhage, Ph.D.
Participating Researchers
Professor Dr. Hans-Dieter Arndt; Professor Dr. Ian Thomas Baldwin; Professor Dr. Michael Bauer; Professor Dr. Georg Büchel; Professorin Dr. Gabriele Diekert; Professor Dr. Marc Thilo Figge; Professor Dr. Jonathan Gershenzon; Professor Dr. Christian Hertweck; Professor Dr. Dirk Hoffmeister; Professor Dr. Bernhard Hube; Professor Dr. Oliver Kurzai; Professorin Dr. Kirsten Küsel; Professor Dr. Falko Langenhorst; Professorin Dr. Maria Mittag; Professor Dr. Georg Pohnert, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Jürgen Popp; Professor Dr. Stefan Schuster; Professorin Dr. Hortense Slevogt; Professor Dr. Kai Uwe Totsche; Professorin Dr. Susan Trumbore; Professor Dr. Andreas Tünnermann; Professor Dr. Peter F. Zipfel
