Epidemiology of highly pathogenic microorganisms
The Leendertz Lab
Research
Infectious agent ecology and evolution for zoonosis research
Many human pathogens find their origins in animals. Some zoonoses emerged a long time ago but the process is ongoing and zoonotic emergence still represents a serious threat to global public health. Our group, part of the Robert Koch Institute, combines different approaches to investigate the sources and reservoirs of microorganisms with a zoonotic potential, the mechanisms of their transmission between species (including towards humans) and their co-evolution with their hosts.
Groups
Human-wildlife interfaces, wildlife disease ecology and infectious agent evolution
Head: Dr. Grit Schubert
Through the African Network for improved Diagnostics, Epidemiology and Management of Common Infectious Agents (ANDEMIA) we aim to research and combat acute respiratory tract and gastrointestinal infections, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and acute febrile disease of unknown cause in sub-Saharan Africa. While this project is a collaborative effort between many units at the Robert Koch Institute and several African partners, our group focuses on pathogens of animal origin.
Zoonotic microorganisms in tropical wildlife and livestock
Head: Dr. Fabian Leendertz
We examine the distribution and circulation of many microorganisms, including some with zoonotic potential, in wild nonhuman primate communities in sub-Saharan Africa. We also investigate other wildlife species, especially those which have adapted to human settlements (bats and rodents) as well as livestock as putative intermediate hosts.
We aim at deriving public health-relevant predictions from the study of the deep evolution of viruses. We focus on African great apes and bats, and investigate all conceivable sources of information on their co-evolution with viruses – from their own genomes to the genomes of their exogenous viruses, using contemporaneous and historical samples. We use this information to identify ancient host-virus associations and the processes that shaped these associations.
People
Download CV or consult ResearchGate/personal webpages by clicking on names
Head of the unit
Deputy-head of the unit
Senior scientist
Post-doctoral associate
Post-doctoral associate
Post-doctoral associate
Post-doctoral associate
Post-doctoral associate
Kevin Merkel
Technical assistant
Caroline Röthemeier
Technical assistant
Technical assistant
Maja Kovacev-Wegener
Administrative assistant
Clarence Graf
Administrative assistant
Aref Aghebat Rafat
Ph.D. candidate
Ph.D. candidate
Tobias Gräßle
Ph.D. candidate
Jennifer Jaffe
Ph.D. candidate
Mueena Jahan
Ph.D. candidate
Benjamin Mubemba
Ph.D. candidate
Yanthe Nobel
Ph.D. candidate
Kamila Pleh
Ph.D. candidate
Ph.D. candidate
Sarah Kribi
Research assistant (M.D.)
Paul Pitzinger
Research assistant (M.D.)
Josefin Hayeß
Student assistant
Milen Sterev
Student assistant
Collaborators
Primatology
Infectious diseases
Where we work
Between Berlin and sub-Saharan Africa
We are involved in zoonosis research from the very first steps on. Most of our students will collect a significant part of the samples needed for their projects, most commonly acquiring those from nonhuman primates or small mammals from sub-Saharan Africa. We work closely with our African partners and this extends well beyond field missions. Samples are often first screened in their country of origin before being analyzed more in depth in our lab in Berlin. To see exactly where we have performed field missions this year or are permanently active click on our favorite planet!
Publications
Our last 10 papers
Not peer-reviewed
Preprints
Correspondence
Media coverage
Our work and our comments on colleagues' work in the press
SARS-CoV-2 related discussions
About our work
About the work of others
Jobs
Job openings
Currently no job openings.
Spontaneous applications
We are always happy to discuss with motivated students and researchers interested in joining our lab. Do not hesitate to get in touch with Grit, Fabian or Seb. We may have some ideas to help you find your own funding! For example, here and here are extensive list of post doc funding that you might be eligible for. Here is a list of potential funding sources for PhD programs.
Contact
+4930187542610
+4930187542592
+4930187542502
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