Main research areas
A comprehensive microbiome analysis requires a special focus on the analysis of metabolic interactions. To this end, the proteins identified using metaproteomics are mapped to metabolic pathways on a taxon-specific basis. It is particularly difficult to reconstruct the entire network in anaerobic microbiomes such as in the gastrointestinal tract or in biogas plants.
Another focus is on the role of phages in nutrient cycling in microbiomes. The labeling of newly synthesized proteins with BONCAT is also used for this purpose.
Metaproteomics generates large amounts of data. Data storage and processing is continuously being developed further through collaboration in the development of corresponding bioinformatics tools.
Ongoing projects
The MSCA Doctoral Network METAMIC was positively evaluated in April 2025. The project is scheduled to start in October 2025 after the project preparation phase. METAMIC (Metaproteome-based leveraged microbiome management in the context of One Health) bundles the potential of European scientists in the field of metaproteomics and deals with the influence of microbial effectors (antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, phages) on the microbiome in the context of One Health (human, animal and environmental health as a whole).
The NFDI4Microbiota Flex Funds is about the use of knowledge graphs to link and analyze OMICS data. It is already the third Flex Funds project and aims to evaluate the complex data sets of OMICS analyses more efficiently and with additional knowledge.
The doctoral project is a collaboration with Progroup Paper PM3 GmbH (Sandersdorf-Brehna). The applied research project deals with the monitoring and optimization of biological water treatment in the paper industry.
The project is researching more efficient biogas production from lignocellulose-rich residues by adding aerobic and anaerobic fungi (FNR: FKZ 2222NR098A). As part of a subcontract from the Bavarian State Institute for Agriculture, a metaproteome analysis of the fungi is being carried out in the context of digestion reactors.
Completed projects
Knowledge about the effects of a high-starch diet on the gastrointestinal and metabolic health of horses is essential against the background of the widespread use of high-starch concentrates (cereals, compound feed). A metaproteome analysis was carried out as part of a subcontract of the DFG project (FKZ 434510792).
In the project, twelve laboratory biogas reactors were operated in parallel at the University of Innsbruck using sewage sludge as a substrate. The background to this is the question of whether a modified mode of operation enables an increase in the biogas yield in the digestion towers of sewage treatment plants. The parallel operation of two reactors each was compared with the serial operation of two reactors each, with the aim of achieving a better degradation of persistent components of the sewage sludge. In addition, it should be clarified whether the addition of glycerol, a waste product from biodiesel production, has a beneficial effect on the degradation of persistent components of sewage sludge. Subcontract of a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund with the University of Innsbruck (FWF: P33163-B, €32,000).
The NFDI4Microbiota Flex Funds were concerned with establishing a workflow for research data management for metaproteomics.
The NFDI4Microbiota Flex Funds were concerned with the establishment of metadata standards for metaproteomics.
Team leader
