Researcher @ MPI of Molecular Plant Physiology, Department Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology
I am a researcher in the Department of Organelle Biology, Biotechnology, and Molecular Ecophysiology at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. My research centers on the optimization of unicellular algae as efficient production platform for recombinant proteins.
In particular, I am interested in identifying and characterizing the molecular mechanisms that are critical for achieving high levels of transgene expression in the photoautotrophic hosts. Working with the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, I established a genetic screen that facilitated the isolation of algal strains with enhanced transgene expression levels. These expression strains have since been widely used by the research community.
My scientific goal is to further improve heterologous gene expression in Chlamydomonas and to transfer the knowledge gained from this model species to other photosynthetic algal systems that also hold promise as sustainable platforms for recombinant protein production.