Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy

The specializiation "Genetics and Genomics" envolves the following two research groups:

• Daniel Schubert (Plant Epigenetics, AG Schubert)
• Katja Nowick (Human Biology and Primate Evolution, Nowick Lab)

Regular interactions and collaborations include the following non-university research institutions:

• The Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv)
• Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG)
• Max-Planck-Institute for Human Development (MPIB)
• Max-Delbrück-Center (MDC)
• Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology (MPIMP)
• Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ)
• Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)

We teach several courses, three of them are highlighted here:

Master course “Bioinformatics for Biologists”: Here you can learn how to work in a Linux/Unix environment and programming in R, analyze your own Next-Generation-Sequencing data, perform data analysis and carry out a 3 days project in a small group. This is relevant for many specializations of the curriculum.

Master course “Epigenetics in Plants, animals and fungi”: In this course you will get to know general concepts in epigenetics and epigenomics and their conservation across kingdoms. As we use plants and alga in the practical part, in which you learn computational, molecular and cytological methods to study epigenetics, this course is also relevant for the specializations “Molecular and Cellular Biology” and “Molecular Plant Sciences”.

Master course “Human Evolution”: This course deals with human evolution from multiple different angles, such as genomics, transcriptomics, evolution of the brain and cognition, traits of our ancestors and ethical issues. Computational tools will be used throughout the course.

We (AG Nowick) aim to understand how cognitive traits evolve using genomics and transcriptomics methods and combining it with cell culture experiments using stem cells and brain organoids from primates and biomedical data. We also develop bioinformatics tools.

We (AG Schubert) want to reveal how organisms lacking a nervous system memorize information, with a focus on epigenetic gene regulation. We use computational, genetic, genomic and imaging techniques to address this question with plants and alga as our models.

The BeGenDiv, as a joined research institute of the IZW and FU Berlin, offers a sequencing facility and research in genomics of tropical species among others.

Using an evolutionary angle, we (AG Nowick) aim to provide insight into the molecular basis of human diseases. We also contribute to an understanding of how individuals and species cope with environmental changes.

At AG Schubert, we aim to understand how plants and alga memorize stressful events to adapt to upcoming stress, with the potential application to generate plants and alga with a higher global change resistance.