Research Portfolios

Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions

Biological activity and role of syrbactins in host-microbe interactions

Prof. Dr. Robert Dudler, Zurich-Basel PSC, University of Zurich, Institute of Plant Biology

aaSyringolin, a representative of syrbactins, constitutes a novel class of proteasome inhibitors secreted by a group of...

Plant Pathology

Evolutionary biology of plant pathogens

Dr. Patrick Brunner, Zurich-Basel PSC, ETH Zurich, Institute of Integrative Biology

Research in the Plant Pathology group centers around population genetics and phylogeography of the fungal pathogens...

Molecular Ecology of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

Experimental fungal community assembly

Dr. Hannes A. Gamper, Zurich-Basel PSC, ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences

We aim at understanding the ecological and evolutionary determinants of biodiversity in natural arbuscular mycorrhizal...

Plant Ecological Genetics

Grass endophytes

Prof. Dr. Adrian Leuchtmann, Zurich-Basel PSC, ETH Zurich, Institute of Integrative Biology

Symbiotic associations between organisms are common in ecosystems, but mutual benefits may be conditional depending on...

Plant Nutrition

Improve nutrient-use efficiency in agro-ecosystems

Prof. Dr. Emmanuel Frossard, Zurich-Basel PSC, ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences

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Microbiology

Interactions of bacteria with plants

Prof. Dr. Leo Eberl, Zurich-Basel PSC, University of Zurich, Institute of Plant Biology

Many bacteria produce small diffusible signal molecules to co-ordinate expression of particular phenotypic traits, a...

Molecular and Cellular Plant-Virus Interactions

Macromolecular trafficking and intercellular communication in plants

Dr. Manfred Heinlein, Zurich-Basel PSC, University of Basel, Institute of Botany

Intercellular communication in plants plays pivotal roles in the orchestration of development and defence responses and...

Plant Nutrition

Microbial functions in soil nutrient dynamics

Dr. Else Bünemann-König, Zurich-Basel PSC, ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences

A good understanding of biological cycling of P in terrestrial ecosystems is important in view of both decreasing...

Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions

Molecular aspects of symbiosis and pathogenesis in plants

Prof. Dr. Thomas Boller, Zurich-Basel PSC, University of Basel, Institute of Botany

Plants interact with microbes (bacteria and fungi), in both friendly and hostile ways – this is the essence of plant...

Plant Pathology

Plant pathology

Prof. Dr. Cesare Gessler, Zurich-Basel PSC, ETH Zurich, Institute of Integrative Biology

Cesare Gessler has been active in plant pathology at ETH for 35 years. During 2003-2008 he also led a research centre in...

Plant Pathology

Plant pathology

Dr. Monika Maurhofer Bringolf, Zurich-Basel PSC, ETH Zurich, Institute of Integrative Biology

Monika Maurhofer is the leader of a research group with interest in elucidating the multitrophic interactions going on...

Plant Pathology

Population genetics and evolutionary biology of plant pathogenic fungi

Prof. Dr. Bruce McDonald, Zurich-Basel PSC, ETH Zurich, Institute of Integrative Biology

Plant pathogens evolve rapidly to overcome the disease control strategies that are deployed against them. Resistance...

Plant Immunity

Regulation of plant receptor kinases in pattern triggered immunity

Dr. Delphine Chinchilla, Zurich-Basel PSC, University of Basel, Institute of Botany

Plant immunity relies on the recognition of surrounding microbes and the induction of robust defense responses to...

Molecular Plant Virology

Silencing and innate immunity in plant defense against viruses

PD Dr. Mikhail M. Pooggin, Zurich-Basel PSC, University of Basel, Institute of Botany

The frontline of plant defense against non-viral pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and oomycetes is provided by...

Systematic Mycology

Systematic mycology

PD Dr. Reinhard Berndt, Zurich-Basel PSC, ETH Zurich, Institute of Integrative Biology

Plant-microbe Interactions, Microbiology

Volatile-mediated impact of bacteria on plants

Dr. Laure Weisskopf, Zurich-Basel PSC, University of Zurich, Institute of Plant Biology

Increasing evidence indicates that bacteria can interact with other organisms (e.g. plants or fungi) through the...