Research Group Valenzano

We broadly study the crosstalk between immune system and commensal microbiota across evolutionary and ontogenetic time scales. In particular, we study how species-specific immune adaptations lead to the selection of specific commensal microbes.

We study functionally how immune aging impacts age-dependent microbiome dysfunction and vice versa how microbiota dynamically impact host immune function and health. We adopt and develop a diversity of methodologies and approaches, ranging from numerical simulations, bioinformatics, genome engineering/editing, computational immunology, population genetics, molecular biology, genomics, as well as wet lab work. Once a year, we conduct field work in Zimbabwe, which hosts the natural habitat of our main model system, the naturally short-lived turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri).

Contact

Dario Riccardo Valenzano
Group Leader
+49 3641 65-6280
dario.valenzano@leibniz-fli.de
 

Nicole Wolf
Assistance
+49 3641 65-6401
nicole.wolf@~@leibniz-fli.de

External Lab Webpage


Team*

NamePhoneEmailPosition
Dario Riccardo Valenzano+49 3641 656280eMailGroup Leader
Kathrin Reichwald+49 3641 656281eMailStaff Scientist
Silvia Cattelan+49 3641 656284eMailPostdoc
Alina Ryabova+49 3641 656851eMailPostdoc
Flavio Silva Costa+49 3641 656702eMailPostdoc
Dennis de Bakker+49 3641 656702eMailPostdoc (external)
Martin Bagic+49 3641 656851eMailDoctoral Candidate
Samuel Allan Kean+49 3641 656851eMailDoctoral Candidate
Farzana Shamim-Schulze+49 3641 656702eMailResearch Engineer
Ivonne Heinze+49 3641 656871eMailTechnical Assistant

* incomplete due to Data protection