(2022)
Candida albicans induces cross-kingdom miRNA trafficking in human monocytes to promote fungal growth.
mBio 13(1),
e0356321.
Prof. Dr. Axel A. Brakhage
Director Molecular and Applied Microbiology · Head of Department Transfer Group Anti-infectives · Acting head +49 3641 532-1001 axel.brakhage@leibniz-hki.deCurriculum vitae
Main Research Areas
- Infection biology of human pathogenic fungi
- Molecular biotechnology / synthetic biotechnology of microbial compounds
- Microbial communication
- Eukaryotic gene regulation / transcription factors
Professional Career
| since 2005 | Scientific Director, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI) Jena |
| since 2005 | Head of Department Molecular and Applied Microbiology, HKI Jena |
| since 2004 | Professor (C4/W3) and chair in microbiology and molecular biology, Institute for Microbiology, FSU Jena |
| 2000-2004 | Professor (C4) and chair in microbiology, Leibniz University Hanover |
| 1998-2001 | Professor (C3) in microbiology, Technical University Darmstadt |
| 1996 | Habilitation in microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich |
| 1992-1998 | Research assistant (C1), Institute for Genetics and Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich |
| 1990-1992 | Research assistant, The University of Sheffield, UK, funded through postdoc grants of the DFG |
| 1989-1990 | Group head, Biotechnology, BASF AG, Ludwigshafen |
| 1989 | Dr. rer. nat. in microbiology, „summa cum laude“ University Münster and Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique (IBPC) Paris |
| 1985 | Studies in biology/chemistry, diploma in biology at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster |
Awards · Appointments · Scientific Activities
| since 2020 | Vice President of the DFG |
| since 2020 | Head of section 13 "Microbiology and Immunology" and Senator in the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina |
| since 2019 | Spokesperson of the Excellence Cluster "Balance of the Microverse" |
| since 2019 | Member of the foundation board of the Foundation Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI), Regensburg |
| since 2019 | Member of the scientific panel of the Heinrich-Pette Institute (HPI), Hamburg |
| since 2018 | Member of the scientific panel of the Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), Münster |
| since 2017 | Member of the Steering Committee DZIF/TTU |
| since 2017 | Elected member of the American Academy of Microbiology |
| since 2017 | Member of the scientific panel of the Robert Koch Foundation (RKS), Berlin |
| since 2017 | Member of the scientific panel of the MRC Medical Mycology Centre, Exeter, UK |
| since 2016 | Member of the Clusterboard RIS3 Thüringen |
| since 2016 | Member of the scientific panel of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology (MPIIB), Berlin |
| since 2016 | Spokesperson of the Leibniz Research Cluster “Biotechnologie 2020+“ |
| since 2015 | Elected member of the European Academy of Microbiology |
| since 2015 | Honorary member of the DMykG |
| 2014 | Main Research Award of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM) |
| since 2013 | Spokesperson of the SFB/Transregio 124 FungiNet (DFG) |
| since 2013 | Deputy representative of the Leibniz-Research-Alliance Compounds and Biotechnology |
| since 2013 | Board member of the research campus “InfectoGnostics” (BMBF) |
| since 2012 | Spokesperson of the consortium “InfectControl 2020 – New Anti-infection Strategies – Science • Society • Economy” in the BMBF-programme “Zwanzig 20 – Partnership for Innovation” |
| 2012-2016 | Representative of the DFG-Professional Council 204 Microbiology, Immunology, Virology |
| 2010-2012 | Board member of the Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum “Center for Sepsis Control and Care” (CSCC) at the University Hospital Jena |
| 2010-2016 | Spokesperson (and authorised commissioner) of the Leibniz Research Cluster “Biotechnologie 2020+“ |
| since 2010 | Member of the scientific panel of the Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig |
| 2010-2018 | Member of the scientific panel of the –Institute for Pharmaceutical Research (HIPS), Saarbrücken |
| 2010-2020 | Member of the scientific panel of the Research Centre Borstel, Borstel |
| 2010-2017 | Member of the scientific panel of the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB), Halle |
| 2009-2017 | Supervisory Board Leibniz-Institute DSMZ – German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig |
| 2009-2016 | Member of the scientific panel of the Research Center for Infectious Diseases (ZINF), Würzburg |
| 2009-2011 | President of the Vereinigung für Allgemeine und Angewandte Mikrobiologie |
| 2008-2019 | Member of the university council (reappointment 2011+2015) at the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena |
| 2008-2016 | Member of the DFG-Professional Council 204 Microbiology, Immunology, Virology |
| 2008 | Appointed member of the Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften, Leopoldina |
| 2007-2016 | Liaison Officer for scientific misconduct at the FSU Jena |
| since 2007 | Spokesperson of the excellence graduated school „Jena School for Microbial Communication” |
| 2006-2008 | Spokesperson of the graduate school "International Leibniz Research School (ILRS) for microbial and biomolecular interactions“ |
| 2006 | Heinz-Seeliger award for infection biology |
| since 2005 | Scientific panel "Goettinger Center for Molecular Bio/Sciences (GZMB)", Georg-August-University Göttingen |
| since 2005 | Member of the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, FSU Jena |
| 2004-2010 | Representative of the DFG priority programme 1160 "colonisation and infection through human pathogenic fungi" |
| 2003-2010 | Scientific panel „Center for Microbial Biotechnology“ DTU Copenhagen, Denmark |
| 2003-2009 | Member in the programme committee of the DFG priority programme 1152 "Evolution of Metabolic Diversity" |
| 2003-2004 | Dean, faculty biology, Leibniz-University Hanover |
| 2002-2006, 2009-2020 |
Member of the scientific panel of the Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), Würzburg |
| since 1998 | Editor of several magazines |
| since 1995 | Principal investigator in EU projects |
Publications
(2022)
Salt and metal tolerance involves formation of guttation droplets in species of the Aspergillus versicolor complex.
Genes 13(9),
1631.
(2022)
Structural insights into cooperative DNA recognition by the CCAAT-binding complex and its bZIP transcription factor HapX.
Structure 30(7),
934-946.e4.
(2022)
Azole resistance-associated regulatory motifs within the promoter of cyp51A in Aspergillus fumigatus.
Microbiol Spectr 10(3),
e0120922.
(2022)
Augmented enterocyte damage during Candida albicans and Proteus mirabilis coinfection.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol 12,
866416.
(2022)
Comparative secretome analyses of Trichoderma/Arabidopsis co-cultures identify proteins for salt stress, plant growth promotion, and root colonization.
Front Ecol Evol 9,
808430.
(2022)
PLB-985 neutrophil-like cells as a model to study Aspergillus fumigatus pathogenesis.
mSphere 7(1),
e0094021.
(2022)
Total synthesis and functional evaluation of IORs, sulfonolipid-based inhibitors of cell differentiation in Salpingoeca rosetta.
Angew Chem Int Ed 61(41),
e202209105.
(2022)
Lebensbedrohliche Pilzinfektionen - Unterschätzte Gefahr durch pilzliche Krankheitserreger.
BiuZ 52(3),
268-277.
(Review)
(2022)
COVID-19 patients share common, corticosteroid-independent features of impaired host immunity to pathogenic molds.
Front Immunol 13,
954985.
