Göttinger Graduiertenzentrum für Neurowissenschaften, Biophysik und Molekulare Biowissenschaften

Daniel, Rolf, Prof. Dr.


  • since 2019: Dean at the Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August University Göttingen
  • since 2013: Speaker "North German Center of Microbial Genomics" (Norddeutsches Zentrum für Mikrobielle Genomforschung, NZMG)
  • since 2012: FProfessor (W3), Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Head of Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Georg-August University Göttingen
  • 2013 / 2018: Norddeutscher Wissenschaftspreis 2013 / Norddeutscher Wissenschaftspreis 2018
  • 2018 - 2019: Research Dean at the Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August University Göttingen
  • 2012 - 2016: Director of the Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University Göttingen
  • 2008 - 2012: Acting Director of the Department of Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Head of the Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Georg-August University Göttingen
  • 1996 - 2008: Group Leader, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University Göttingen
  • 1995 - 1996: Postdoc (DFG research stipend), University of California (Berkeley, USA)
  • 1994 - 1995: Postdoc, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University Göttingen



Major Research Interests
Our major research foci are the cultivation-independent nucleic acids-based metagenomics and metatranscriptomics of complex microbial assemblages, and the recovery of novel genes and gene products from environmental samples such as soil, sediments, ice, and biofilms. The metagenomic screenings comprise function-based as well as sequence-based approaches. This work has led, i.e., to the successful identification and characterization proteases, cellulases, oxidoreductases, dehydratases, lipases, and DNA polymerases from metagenomes. To gain insights into the genomes of the uncultivated microorganisms and to determine metabolic potential and key functions of microbial communities in the studied environments direct sequencing and annotation of metagenomic DNA and cDNA (mRNA), and comparative genomics are carried out.
Other lines of research include whole-genome sequencing, transcriptomics and functional genomics of archaea, bacteria, and microbial communities. The majority of the analyzed organisms is of industrial importance or pathogenic.
Our group also develops novel bioinformatic tools for data analysis and visualization.

Homepage Department/Research Group
https://appmibio.uni-goettingen.de

ORCID: 0000-0002-8646-7925