Independent Research Groups

Max Planck Research Group Predators and Prey

Scientists in the group study the evolution and chemical ecology of aposematic defenses
Group leader: Dr. Hannah Rowland

Research Group Sequestration and Detoxification in Insects

Scientists in the group study the interaction between crucifer-feeding flea beetles (Phyllotreta species) and their host plants using molecular and biochemical tools, analytical chemistry, as well as behavioral ecology.
Group leader: Dr. Franziska Beran

Research Group Olfactory Coding

The central question of the Research Group is to investigate how odors are coded and processed in the insect brain to lead to a specific odor perception.
Group leader: Dr. Silke Sachse

Research Group Biosynthesis/NMR

The Research Group elucidates the structures of ecologically relevant low-molecular natural products, investigates the tissue- and cell-specific occurrence of secondary metabolites in plants and studies their biosynthetic pathways by means of NMR spectroscopic methods.
Group leader: Dr. Christian Paetz

Research Group Mass Spectrometry/Proteomics

Research of the group is focused on the biosynthesis and the structure elucidation of natural compounds from plants and insects. Furthermore, experiments are conducted to investigate new plant and insect signaling substances.
Group leader: Dr. Aleš Svatoš

Max Planck Fellow Group Plankton Community Interaction

The central objective of the group is to understand the nature and role of chemical signals that shape complex species assemblies in the aquatic environment. The major focus is the elucidation of plankton community interactions on a microscopic scale to deduct mechanisms of global plankton functioning.
Group leader: Prof. Dr. Georg Pohnert