With Christmas just around the corner, we wish all our colleagues, partners, and friends joyful holidays and a successful start into the New Year!
We will be back in January.
Warm wishes from the #LeibnizHKI.
🎄🎀⭐
The picture shows a colon cross section of a mouse colonized with Candida albicans.
Two men, Christian Hertweck and Jonas Fiedler, standing outdoors on the grounds of the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI) in Jena. Both are dressed casually, facing each other and smiling. Institute buildings and greenery visible in the background.
Schematic illustration showing inactivation of the bacterial toxin Malleicyprol by the enzyme BurK. This illustration was taken from the respective publication in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, doi: 10.1002/anie.202521105, created by Jonas Fiedler, Leibniz-HKI.
Researchers at #LeibnizHKI discovered an enzyme that cleaves the toxin malleicyprol and reduces virulence in Burkholderia bacteria.
🗞️ Press release: lmy.de/VwRfa
🔎 Original paper: doi.org/10.1002/anie...
@dfg.de @uni-jena.de @microverse.bsky.social @angewandtechemie.bsky.social
A man and a woman stand side by side in a hallway, leaning casually against a doorframe. Both are smiling and wearing light-colored shirts and trousers. On the left side of the image, a large colorful speech-bubble graphic contains a research quote about metabolic adaptations during bacterial infections. A pink arrow near the bottom right indicates swiping. The wall features decorative artwork, and a ‘Leibniz-HKI’ logo appears in the lower left corner.
A woman and a man are standing on a staircase landing inside a building. The woman stands with arms crossed and the man leans casually against the wall, both smiling. A large multicolored text bubble on the left displays a quote about immune responses to fungal infections and postdoctoral research. A ‘Leibniz-HKI’ logo is visible at the bottom left, and a pink arrow on the floor points to the right.
A graphic page with a bright rainbow gradient background. Large bold text reads ‘December – Wolfgang Vivas & Dolly Montaño.’ Below it is smaller text saying ‘Leibniz-HKI Calendar 2025.’ A pink arrow on the right indicates swiping. The Leibniz-HKI logo appears in the lower left corner.
A couple walks hand in hand with a small child between them along a paved path on a research campus. All three are wearing jackets, and the adults hold the child’s hands. Above them is a colorful text bubble with the quote: “More awareness of family dynamics in academia would help many scientists. (Dolly)”. The logo “LEIBNIZ-HKI” appears in the lower left corner.
Meet our #December #calendar 2025 feature Wolfgang Vivas & Dolly Montaño, postdocs from Venezuela 🇻🇪 at Leibniz-HKI. How do they both juggle demanding research 🧪 with family life 👨🏻👩🏻👦🏻 while also keeping their creativity alive? 🎨 Find it out in their interview: lmy.de/Ibiul
#FacesOfScience #LeibnizHKI
A lab scientist in a white coat and blue gloves looks through a microscope, with computer screens showing colorful data in the background.
Funded PhD position 9/9: Study the role of human p11-dependent EGFR in regulating phagosome maturation and antifungal defense & benefit from the PhD training program ILRS 2.0. Apply by 13 Dec.
🎓 lmy.de/saMIG
#PhDOpportunity #ScienceJobs #LeibnizHKI
Four young adults are jumping with their arms raised on a grassy area in front of a modern, curved building, smiling and appearing joyful.
Funded PhD position 8/9: Develop scalable moss-bacteria co-cultivations for the discovery and production of new natural products & benefit from the PhD training program ILRS 2.0. Apply by 13 Dec.
🎓 lmy.de/diSOz
#PhDOpportunity #ScienceJobs #LeibnizHKI
... And here is a direct link to the original publication in Nat Mircobiol: doi.org/10.1038/s415... 🙂
@mbdlab.bsky.social 👏
#UniJena #LeibnizHKI #Microverse
A laboratory researcher wearing a white coat and blue gloves uses a pipette to transfer liquid into a tray of small tubes, surrounded by lab equipment and bottles.
Funded PhD position 7/9: Discover mycoparasites as unexplored resource for antiinfectives & benefit from the PhD training program ILRS 2.0.
Apply by 13 Dec.
🎓 lmy.de/FMclh
#PhDOpportunity #ScienceJobs #LeibnizHKI
A scientist with dark curls and black glasses in a white lab coat and blue gloves holds up a sample slide for inspection in a bright laboratory, slightly smiling, with lab equipment, shelves and a big window in the background.
Funded PhD position 6/9: Explore liver-on-chip based macrophage-drug interactions in invasive candidiasis & benefit from the PhD training program ILRS 2.0.
Apply by 13 Dec.
🎓 lmy.de/ZAZGj
#PhDOpportunity #ScienceJobs #LeibnizHKI
Two researchers in white lab coats and blue gloves stand in a laboratory, smiling and reviewing a document together, surrounded by scientific equipment and supplies.
Funded PhD position 5/9: Study microbiome-enteric nervous system interactions in sepsis & benefit from the PhD training program ILRS 2.0. Apply by 13 Dec.
🎓 lmy.de/ybPgD
#PhDOpportunity #ScienceJobs #LeibnizHKI
A woman sits at a desk with two computer monitors, focused on her work in a bright office; a blurred screen with a scientific graphic is visible in the foreground.
Funded PhD position 4/9: Advance image quantification of organ-on-chip-based experiments within JIPipe & benefit from the PhD training program ILRS 2.0.
Apply by 13 Dec.
🎓 lmy.de/tSJYf
#PhDOpportunity #ScienceJobs #LeibnizHKI
A woman in a white lab coat and blue gloves works at a lab bench, smiling as she uses a pipette to transfer liquid into a small tube. Colorful laboratory containers and equipment are arranged in front of her, and another person works in the background.
Funded PhD position 3/9: Investigate how Candida albicans lipases shape fungal-bacterial interactions & benefit from the PhD training program ILRS 2.0. Apply by 13 Dec.
🎓 lmy.de/VyUor
#PhDOpportunity #ScienceJobs #LeibnizHKI
A man and a woman in white lab coats sit at a computer in a bright laboratory. The man, wearing blue gloves, smiles and points at the monitor while the woman beside him also smiles, watching the screen.
Funded PhD position 2/9: Study neutrophil extracellular vesicles as a key defense mechanism against Aspergillus fumigatus & benefit from the PhD training program ILRS 2.0. Apply by 13 Dec.
🎓 lmy.de/yisip
#PhDOpportunity #ScienceJobs #LeibnizHKI
A woman and a man wearing white lab coats sit together at a desk in a bright office, looking at a laptop screen. The woman is smiling and gesturing toward the laptop as they discuss the information displayed.
Funded PhD position 1/9: Explore RNA modification by natural products across species & benefit from the PhD training program ILRS 2.0.
Apply by 13 Dec.
🎓 lmy.de/szeVW
#PhDOpportunity #ScienceJobs #LeibnizHKI
A young woman with curly reddish-brown hair stands by a staircase railing in a modern building. She is wearing a long yellow pleated skirt, a black top, and black boots. She is holding several notebooks or books in her arms and is smiling gently at the camera.
Graphic design image with a blue-to-purple gradient background. The word ‘NOVEMBER’ appears at the top in bold orange letters, followed by the name ‘Sophia Hitzler’ in large purple text. Below, in smaller black text, it reads ‘Leibniz-HKI Calendar 2025.’ The word ‘SWIPE’ is written in bold black letters next to a yellow arrow pointing to the right. The Leibniz-HKI logo is placed in the bottom left corner.
A woman with curly reddish-brown hair is working in a laboratory. She is wearing a white lab coat and blue gloves and is examining a transparent bottle filled with liquid. In the background, another person in a lab coat is seated at a workstation. The room is bright and equipped with typical laboratory instruments.
A person with curly hair, wearing a black top and a long yellow skirt, stands on an indoor staircase holding books and looking upward with a smile. A colorful speech bubble above reads: ‘It’s especially fun to introduce young people to science and see how curiosity develops.’ The logo ‘LEIBNIZ-HKI’ appears in the bottom left.
Meet our #November feature Sophia Hitzler, a doctoral researcher at Leibniz-HKI, in this year’s #calendar 2025! From a fascination with fungi 🍄 to mentoring 👩🏫 and an unexpected dream job 🐳, discover her journey here: lmy.de/sBQAV
#FacesOfScience #LeibnizHKI
@aps-hki.bsky.social
Christine Vogler, Equal Opportunities Officer at Leibniz-HKI, accepted the TOTAL E-QUALITY award and the Sustainability Award.
🎉 #LeibnizHKI has again been honored with the TOTAL E-QUALITY rating for our equal-opportunities personnel policy – for the 5th time in a row! This year, we also received the Sustainability Prize 2025 for our long-term commitment to equality, diversity & inclusion.
🗞️✨ lmy.de/zVSiL
#TotalEquality
Zoltán Cseresnyés, an older man with short gray hair and a friendly smile, stands indoors beside a long office table. He is wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt, gray trousers, and brown shoes. He holds a small potted bonsai tree in both hands. On the table next to him are a large potted plant, a green watering can, and a book. The background shows a bright modern room with white walls and wooden flooring. In the upper left, a colorful speech bubble contains the text: “I am an image analyst. I help biologists and chemists to analyze their image data and get information and quantification out of microscopy images, thus allowing them to modify or plan experiments.” The Leibniz-HKI logo appears in blue at the bottom left, and an orange arrow points to the right.
Colorful calendar page for October 2025 from the Leibniz-HKI Calendar. The background fades from blue on the left to purple on the right. The word 'OCTOBER' appears in bold orange letters. Below it, the name 'Zoltán Cseresnyés' is written in large green text. At the bottom left, small black text reads 'Leibniz-HKI Calendar 2025' with the blue Leibniz-HKI logo beneath it. On the right side, the word 'SWIPE' is written in black uppercase letters next to an orange arrow pointing right.
A close-up photo shows the back of a man’s head as he looks at a computer monitor displaying a complex network of colorful lines and nodes on a dark background – microscopy data visualization. The desk below the monitor holds papers, computer accessories, and cables. In the top left, a colorful speech bubble contains the text: “The real highlight was being there at the very beginning of super-resolution microscopy.” The Leibniz-HKI logo appears in blue at the bottom left, and an orange arrow points to the right.
Zoltán Cseresnyés and a younger woman with dark hair, one of his colleagues, sit side by side at a table in a bright office. Zoltán, wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt, gestures with his hand while explaining something on a laptop screen. The woman listens attentively, wearing a patterned blouse and a wristwatch. Behind them, large windows with blinds fill the room with natural light. A colorful speech bubble above them contains the text: “It is crucial to remain flexible and open – both in mind and in career.” The Leibniz-HKI logo appears in blue at the bottom left of the image.
🍁 Meet our #October #calendar 2025 feature: Zoltán Cseresnyés, imaging specialist at our @appsysbio.bsky.social research group. From 1980s Hungary to super-resolution microscopy at Cambridge, he now helps researchers unlock insights from complex images. 🔬🌌
lmy.de/LsPim
#FacesOfScience #LeibnizHKI
A young woman with glasses sits on a wooden bench outdoors, smiling at the camera while holding a viola on her lap. She is wearing a black top, wide green pants, and black heeled sandals. On the left side of the image, there is a large colorful speech bubble with the following quote: “I primarily focused on the symbiosis between fungi and endosymbiotic bacteria. We identified natural products produced by the bacteria that protect the fungi from predators and play a key role in the symbiotic relationship.” At the bottom left, the “Leibniz-HKI” logo is visible. At the bottom right, a large purple arrow points to the right.
A graphic calendar page with a turquoise-blue gradient background. In large pink letters it says “SEPTEMBER,” and underneath: “Hannah Büttner.” At the lower left is the “Leibniz-HKI” logo with the text “Leibniz-HKI Calendar 2025.” At the lower right, the word “SWIPE” is written in bold black letters next to a large purple arrow pointing to the right.
A young woman in a white lab coat is working in a laboratory. She is holding a pipette and placing a sample into a scientific instrument. On the right side of the image, there is a speech bubble in a turquoise color gradient with the text: “I particularly enjoyed structural elucidation and analytical challenges.” Below, the logo of LEIBNIZ-HKI is visible. A large purple arrow points to the right.
A young woman with glasses, wearing a black t-shirt and green trousers, stands indoors next to a large aquarium full of fish and aquatic plants. She holds a viola under her arm and looks thoughtfully into the distance. Her reflection is visible in the aquarium glass. Colorful text bubbles on the right side of the image read: “I like it when Art and Nature come together.” The words “Art” and “Nature” are highlighted in bright, decorative fonts. At the bottom left corner, the logo “LEIBNIZ HKI” is visible.
Meet our #September feature Hannah Büttner in this year’s #calendar 2025! 👩🏻🔬 She explored fungal-bacterial symbiosis, loves both music & art, and carries science in her bag wherever she goes. 🎒🏜️ Read her interview here: lmy.de/FUIJC 🎙️
#FacesOfScience #LeibnizHKI
View from the roof of the HKI Biotech Center over Jena, which lies in a valley between small green mountains. Further ahead is a blue lake, to the right a green meadow and to the left many green deciduous trees. In the background you can see the houses and red roofs of the city as well as a high-rise building.
Close-up view of a solar panel with dark blue photovoltaic cells and white grid lines, reflecting sunlight. The panel stretches into the background toward blurred mountains and a blue sky.
Side view of a mounted solar panel supported by metal brackets fixed into the ground. The foreground shows dry grass and yellow wildflowers, while the background reveals a distant valley and hills under a clear sky.
Yellow wildflowers and tall dry plants in focus in the foreground, with a solar panel installation slightly blurred in the background. The scene is set in a grassy area with mountains and blue sky in the distance.
Solar panels, recycling waste heat, efficient freezers. Small steps, big impact: We are working on making research and our institute more energy-efficient.
#Sustainability #EnergyEfficiency #SolarPanels #LeibnizHKI
A scientist wearing a white lab coat and blue gloves uses a pipette to transfer liquid into a small test tube inside a biosafety cabinet.
A researcher in blue gloves handles a pipette over a well plate filled with pink liquid while recording notes with a black marker in a laboratory setting.
A scientist in a white lab coat and blue gloves writes experimental notes on the glass surface of a biosafety cabinet with a black marker.
A person wearing a white lab coat and blue disposable gloves writes notes with a red pen in a squared laboratory notebook. The notebook rests on a workbench inside a biosafety cabinet, with laboratory equipment and test tubes visible in the background.
Plastic waste is a challenge. But with simple changes, labs can cut up to 65% – without compromising research quality, says Patrick Penndorf (@patricks-science.bsky.social).
We want to tackle this problem.
#Sustainability #PlasticWaste #GreenLabs #LeibnizHKI
Patrick Penndorf and Jakob Sprague sit on a biosafety workbench in a modern laboratory and carry out scientific experiments, both of them wearing white lab coats.
Close-up of two hands in blue rubber gloves holding a micropipette cap made out of transparent plastic.
equipment in a modern microbiology research laboratory
Patrick Penndorf and Jakob Sprague in conversation in front of a workbench in a modern biological research laboratory. Both are wearing white lab coats.
Science must be part of the climate solution. 🌱🌎 At #LeibnizHKI, we rethink workflows to reduce waste & save energy. Patrick Penndorf (@patricks-science.bsky.social) helps us with this.
➡️ www.leibniz-hki.de/en/press-rel...
#Sustainability
Michael Hetz in a workshop, wearing a yellow polo shirt, working at a vise. Next to him is a speech bubble with the quote: “I’m the technician, driver, handyman, I do everything except for scientific work.” In the background, there are toolboxes and shelves.
Graphic calendar page for August 2025 with an orange gradient background. Large green and yellow letters read “AUGUST Michael Hetz,” with “Leibniz-HKI Calendar 2025” below and a green arrow with the word “Swipe.”
Two men work together in a laboratory setting. The man on the left is Michael Hetz, wearing a yellow shirt. He observes while his colleague on the right, in a blue shirt, adjusts wires connected to equipment on a wall shelf. In front of them are large glass bottles filled with clear liquid, connected by tubes. A spray bottle and other lab tools are visible on the shelf. A speech bubble above them reads: “It takes courage to admit your own mistakes, but that’s just part of it.” A green arrow points to the right at the bottom of the image. In the bottom left corner is the blue Leibniz-HKI logo.
Michael Hetz sitting relaxed on a bench under blooming cherry trees in front of a modern building. A speech bubble contains the quote: “Someone always has to tidy up in the end.”
🛠️🚗 Meet Michael Hetz, our in-house technician and driver! From fixing tech to dreaming of flying a helicopter with the boss 🚁😉– discover what drives him and brings him joy 🎶🛥️in our #August #calendar feature: lmy.de/dXISl
#FacesOfScience #LeibnizHKI
Serratia marcescens and Candida albicans colonies form interesting structures on agar plate after long-term incubation. Picture credit: Sarah Vielreicher, Leibniz-HKI
At #LeibnizHKI, research thrives through collaboration. Like microbial communities in balance, our strength comes from the Leibniz Association network. We are celebrating 30 years of shared science, because community matters – on small and large scales.
#30JahreLeibniz
@leibniz-gemeinschaft.de
A scientist wearing a white lab coat and blue gloves leans over a desk, working on a computer in a bright, modern laboratory. Laboratory equipment and monitors surround him as natural light streams in through large windows.
Spotlight on our Leibniz Competition project “FuRTHER” on #WorldRNADay: Exploring how fungal ncRNAs may reprogram human gene expression. A new concept in infection biology by @mgblango.bsky.social, funded by the @leibniz-gemeinschaft.de. #InterkingdomCommunication #LeibnizHKI
➡️ lmy.de/bNyTX
The Thuringian Science Minister Christian Tischner visits the Leibniz-HKI. Group picture. From left to right: Slavica Janevska, Bernd Ebersold, Elke Jäcksch, Christian Tischner, Axel Brakhage, Luzia Gyr, Jethro Hemmann and Christine Vogler.
Yesterday, Thuringian Science Minister Christian Tischner visited #LeibnizHKI to learn about our junior research groups fighting the antibiotic crisis with high-tech. It was a pleasure having him with us! lmy.de/AYoYM
@slavi-jan.bsky.social @jethrohemmann.bsky.social @luziagyr.bsky.social
Sascha Schäuble concentrates on his work at his standing desk in the office. In the accompanying quote, he explains his work at the Leibniz-HKI: “As Head of Integrative Data Analysis, I am a bioinformatic hub at the Leibniz-HKI and open for collaboration with all groups on data (pre-)processing, analysis and integration.”
Tongta Sae-Ong is sitting in a dress on a chair similar to a bar stool with a “Peanuts” coffee cup in her hand, the arm with the cup is leaning on a high table in front of her. There is a large window in the background. She is in conversation with her colleague Sascha Schäuble, of whom only his knees and one hand are visible. In the accompanying quote, she explains her work at the Leibniz-HKI: “As a bioinformatician my projects focus on metagenomics. After studying fungal genomes, I now work on the plant microbiome.”
Graphic with color gradient in yellow-pink. In large colorful letters it says: “JULY – Sascha Schäuble & Tongta Sae-Ong”. Below that: “Leibniz-HKI Calendar 2025”. At the bottom is a lilac arrow with the word “SWIPE”, inviting you to turn the page. At the bottom left is the Leibniz-HKI logo.
Tongta Sae-Ong and Sascha Schäuble play a game of ping-pong across a large wooden table and benches on a green lawn. Lush green deciduous trees can be seen in the background, obscuring part of a modern Leibniz-HKI building behind them. The accompanying quote from Sascha reads: “You’re only limited by your imagination.”
Sporty 🏸, curious, and far from cliché: In our #July feature of our #calendar, colleagues Tongta Sae-Ong & Sascha Schäuble share their paths in bioinformatics, love for sports, and why science is as much about people as it is about data: lmy.de/fTKMI
#FacesOfScience #LeibnizHKI @mbdlab.bsky.social
A comparison of two photos of Candida albicans shows that a denser biofilm is formed in the presence of human albumin (right) than in its absence (left). In the photos, the yeast cells were colored in a golden hue.
💡 New infection strategy in #Candida albicans discovered: human #albumin reprograms its metabolism, turning harmless strains pathogenic – without the need of hyphae or toxins. #LeibnizHKI
🗞️ lmy.de/mthFi
🧪 rdcu.be/exl7d
@markgresnigt.bsky.social @aps-hki.bsky.social
@dfg.de @microverse.bsky.social
Group picture on the roof terrace of the Leibniz-HKI with Thuringian Finance Minister Katja Wolf.
Finance Minister Katja Wolf visits #LeibnizHKI in Jena – highlighting the importance of research, innovation and international specialists for Thuringia!
lmy.de/nKCeA
Central pie chart shows genes of different Pseudomonas syringae strains. Chemical structures on the outside represent newly discovered compounds. Phylogenetic tree of relationships at the top.
The plant pathogen #Pseudomonas syringae adapts to its environment using unique #NaturalProducts. ⚔️🦠 We identified new compounds that help the bacterium to fight competitors and thrive in diverse ecological niches. #LeibnizHKI
🗞️ PR: lmy.de/vcZyU
📝 Publication in Angew Chem Int Ed: lmy.de/NImXY
A scientist with a beard and glasses, François Keiff, is wearing a white lab coat and working on a device in the laboratory. Next to it is a quote: “As part of my doctorate, I worked on the antituberculosis drug BTZ-043. My aim was to tackle a metabolic instability on a chemical level.” The Leibniz-HKI logo can be seen in the bottom left corner.
Graphic with color gradient in blue-green. In large colorful letters it says: “JUNE – François Keiff”. Below that: “Leibniz-HKI Calendar 2025”. At the bottom is a yellow arrow with the word “SWIPE”, inviting you to turn the page. At the bottom left is the Leibniz-HKI logo.
François Keiff sits at a light-colored wooden table inside a well-lit room with large windows. Outside you can see a bright blue, cloudless sky. He laughs warmly and heartily, his eyes closed in laughter, his mouth smiling. In his right hand he holds a slim white cup in front of his mouth. He is dressed in a pastel-colored striped shirt. To his right is a quote: “We achieved everything we wanted to, despite Covid. It was just a lot of fun.” The words “despite Covid” are yellow-colored, whereas the rest of the font is black.
François Keiff is sitting relaxed with a cup of coffee on a terrace or balcony. He is wearing a striped shirt and blue trousers. Next to him is a quote: “It’s our job to pass on our knowledge to the next generation.” The Leibniz-HKI logo is displayed at the bottom left.
Meet our #June #calendar feature François Keiff! 🌞 From Alsace to Jena, he tackled #TB with BTZ-043 during his PhD. Discover his journey, why he sees baking as chemistry’s twin, his passion for teaching & more in his interview: www.leibniz-hki.de/en/calendar-...
#FacesOfScience #LeibnizHKI
Two neat hands of a presumably female person hold an open blister pack of long, bright yellow pills. You can see a piece of a bright cobalt blue woolly sweater and a piece of gray-blue denim under her hands.
Our project “meta-CDI” is funded by the #LeibnizCompetition 2025! We are exploring how Clostridioides difficile disrupts the gut microbiome – paving the way for new therapies. Thanks @leibniz-gemeinschaft.de!
📰 www.leibniz-hki.de/en/news/fund...
#metaCDI #InfectionBiology #LeibnizHKI
