Kiel University

The interaction of antigen-specific T and B cells is key for an effective adaptive immune response. T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are the T cell subset that provide B cell assistance during the germinal center reaction. Tfh cells are the prerequisite for the generation of high-affinity memory B cells and long-lived plasma cells. Therefore, manipulation of the Tfh response is of particular clinical interest for aiding in the generation of protective antibodies during vaccination or for eliminating harmful antibodies in autoimmune diseases and allergies [1].

The scientific focus of the IMPS relates to basic studies in the field of neuropsychobiology and behavioral medicine on learning and memory processes and information processing in the brain, especially in the areas of pain, addiction, psychotraumatology and across the lifespan (longitudinal cohort studies). At the institute, we also work with digital survey methods such as smartphone and tablet-based apps and virtual reality and are concerned with the evaluation of large longitudinal data sets from cohort studies.

Bacteria are found everywhere: in clouds and raindrops, on tree leaves, in soil and oceans, on and in our body. Unlike eukaryotes, bacterial evolution comprises both vertical and horizontal components. Recombination at the species level plays a role in selective sweeps through the population, while inter-species lateral gene transfer (LGT) has important implications to microbial adaptation and evolutionary transformations. In our research we study molecular and genome evolution of microbial genomes.

The group's research covers a wide range of topics, with particular emphasis on financial economics, money and banking, econophysics, the application of agent-based models, networks, and multifractal models in the fields of economics and finance.

In the projected research field, discourses about the attitudes and evaluations of expected standard languages and their features are empirically analysed in a comparative way by using a multilingual corpus of discourses contributions.

Fields of research:

• Statistics for Stochastic Processes in Continuous Time 
• Time Series Analysis
• Econometrics
• Nonparametric Statistics

Catalysis; Organic Chemistry; C-H Activation; Transition Metals

My research group has two main foci: anthropogenically driven evolution and life history evolution. We study both aspects by investigating the molecular ecology of aquatic invertebrates. In the last years, my colleagues and I have taken advantage of the newly developing  field of museomics. Using genomic information extracted from natural history collections, we can begin to understand how humans have altered microbiomes, populations, species and whole communities.