Microbial interactions

Natural products play a key role in symbiotic interactions between microorganisms and higher organisms, ranging from mutualism to pathogenesis. Using biological techniques and state-of-the-art analytical methods such as imaging techniques, we study the molecular basis of microbial communication in various ecosystems. The benefit for medical research is twofold: the compounds involved may serve as antibiotics, which can be further developed for human therapy, and the elucidation of virulence factors contributes to the understanding and cure of infectious diseases.