Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

The scientific advisory board, consisting of external academics, is appointed on the recommendation of the faculty by the rectorate. The role of the advisory board is to support the faculty in an advisory function with respect to the fulfilment of target agreements and with development planning.

Sara HALLIN

© Lotta Isacsson

Professor in Soil Microbiology

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology

Professor Sara Hallin holds the chair in Soil Microbiology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala since 2012. Her research area is microbial ecology of bacteria and archaea, especially those involved in cycling of nitrogen cycling. Her research spans several environments and systems, including different terrestrial ecosystem such as agricultural soils, arctic tundra, and wetlands. She has a MSc in agronomy and a PhD in microbiology, focused on denitrification in wastewater treatment systems. In her current work, she aims to understand relationships between the ecology of microbial communities, the biogeochemical processes they perform and the corresponding ecosystem functions.

Professor in Macroecology

University of Copenhagen, Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate

Carsten Rahbek is a Professor at the University of Copenhagen and Visiting Professor at Imperial College, London. In Copenhagen he is the director of the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate and the director of the Center for Global Mountain biodiversity. Carsten Rahbek conduct research in biodiversity, macroecology, conservation biology, socioeconomy, climate and human health, and have broad experience both globally, regionally and nationally in science-policy applied activities related to biodiversity, SDGs and Climate Change.

Professor for Behavioral Biology

University of Münster, Department of Behavioural Biology

Norbert Sachser studied biology, chemistry and social sciences in Bielefeld, where he earned his doctorate in 1984. From 1994 to 2020 he headed the Institute of Behavioural Biology at the University of Münster, and since then, continues to work there as an emeritus. His research interests focus on stress & welfare, evolution & development of social behavior, the role of gene by environment interactions in the control of emotion, cognition & behavior. In addition, he is involved in the knowledge transfer from academia to society.

Annette SCHÜRMANN

© David Außenhofer

Professor for Experimental Diabetology

German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department of Experimental Diabetology (DIAB)

The research focus of my group is the discovery of disease genes and epigenetic alterations that lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Here, a particular focus is put on the clarification of pathomechansism of fatty liver and failure of insulin producing β-cells. We base our studies on various mouse models and translate our findings to humans. In addition, we investigate how different diets and eating patterns influence the development of obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Professor for Pharmaceutical Biology

University of Munich, Department of Pharmacy (Center for Drug Research)

Angelika Vollmar holds the Chair of Pharmaceutical Biology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich. The Vollmar lab aims at deciphering the therapeutical potential of natural compounds focussing on cancer. Prof. Vollmar has obtained her PhD in Pharmaceutical Biology from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich. With a fellowship from the German Research Foundation (DFG) she then carried out a postdoctoral training at University of California, before she returned to Munich for professorship. Prof. Vollmar is engaged in several scientific organisations.