I am a microbial ecologist and environmental microbiologist at TU Dresden, Germany, working at the interface of microbial biodiversity, water quality and environmental risk assessment. My research focuses on how environmental pressures shape microbial communities, ecosystem resilience and the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). I have previously had success with Water4all proposals.
Key expertise and methods: Microbial monitoring: Short- and long-read metagenomics, microbial community profiling, qPCR/ddPCR, and tracking of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and their microbial hosts. Experimental microbial ecology: Controlled microbial communities, aquatic biofilms and mesocosm experiments to investigate environmental stress, invasion resistance, resilience and horizontal gene transfer. Environmental risk assessment: Linking microbial and chemical monitoring data with ecological modelling to identify pollution drivers, assess risks and support water-quality management. Aquatic systems: Rivers, wastewater-impacted ecosystems, groundwater, drinking water and wastewater treatment.
My work combines field-based monitoring with mechanistic experimentation to move beyond descriptive observations towards predictive, management-relevant understanding of microbial water quality.
Topic 1. Integrated Monitoring and Assessment for Sustainable Water Management
Topic 2. Nature-Based Approaches for Resilient Water Management at Hydrological and Hydrogeological System Scale
Topic 3. Smart, Secure and Adaptive Water Infrastructures for Sustainable Water Management
I am interested in joining an international Water4All consortium investigating how environmental pressures, water-management practices and infrastructure influence microbial water quality, ecosystem functioning and environmental risks.
I can contribute a microbial ecology and environmental monitoring component to projects addressing: Integrated water-quality assessment: Combining microbial biodiversity, functional genes, ARGs and MGEs with chemical and environmental monitoring data to identify pressures and improve risk assessment. Resilient aquatic ecosystems: Investigating how pollution, hydrological conditions and environmental change affect microbial community stability, biological invasion and the spread of resistance. Nature-based and engineered solutions: Assessing how restoration measures, biofilms and water-treatment systems influence microbial communities, contaminant attenuation and resistance dissemination. Predictive monitoring: Linking field observations with controlled experiments and ecological modelling to develop transferable indicators and management-relevant insights.
I am particularly interested in collaborations combining microbial ecology with hydrology, water engineering, environmental chemistry, modelling and practical water management.
I will attend EcotoxicoMic 2026 in Thessaloniki, Greece, as an invited keynote speaker and would be happy to meet potential Water4All partners during the conference. I am also readily available for online meetings to discuss emerging consortium ideas and potential contributions to ongoing proposal development.