Microbiology & Biotechnology
Welcome!
Bacteria are our silent companions: They colonize not only our bodies in great variety, and are important for our health and fitness they are also of importance for the global nutrient cycles and have impact of climate changes. In addition, microorganisms are important tools of biotechnology .
We focus on several aspect of applied and basic microbiology:
- Metagenomics, biotechnology, enzymatic plastic degradation →
- Biofilms: Analytics, architecture and omics →
- Microbial Diversity and 'One Health' →
- Physiology and diversity of ammonia → and nitrite → oxidizing bacteria
We teach in the following Master and Bachelor of Sciences programs:
- BSc Biologie
- MSc Biologie
- BSc/ BA Biologie Lehramt Gymnasium
- BSc Molecular Life Sciences
- MSc Molecular Life Sciences
Within these programs we also offer students the possibilities to finish their thesis in our labs. Please, enquire for more detailed project descriptions.
Join the Summer School "Microbial Diversity in Urban Waterways" from October 5 to 7, 2026
... and Explore the World of Microorganisms in a Water Drop!
Interested Doctoral and Master’s students in natural sciences are invited to join a three-day intensive course in Hamburg – Germany's second largest city, crisscrossed by large bodies of water such as the Alster and Elbe rivers, canals and harbor basins.
At the Department of Microbiology & Biotechnology at the University of Hamburg we are organizing an exciting mix of expert talks, hands-on laboratory sessions, and field excursions. You will learn how to collect, prepare, and analyse water samples while exploring the impact of human activity on microbial diversity and potential resistance formation.
Program highlights are
- Engaging presentations by invited speakers and local experts:
- Prof. Dr. Alexander Probst, Universität Duisburg-Essen
- Prof. Dr. Hans-Curt Flemming, Universität Duisburg-Essen
- Dr. Gunnar Gerts, Alfred-Wegner-Institut
- Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Grossert, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin - Practical lab sessions on water sampling and analysis
- Excursions to experience real-world applications
Register by 17 May 2026 (Link to registration). No registration fees, a letter of motivation is required. A preliminary program will be coming soon. This video will give you a first impression.
The Summer School is part of the BMFTR project MOMOBIO-2.
