~~NOTOC~~
===== Welcome to the group "Metabolic Network Analysis" =====

** This page is no longer maintained. Please visit: https://research.uni-leipzig.de/physics-of-evolution/ **

Cyanobacteria are remarkable organisms. As the evolutionary inventors of **oxygenic photosynthesis**, and ancestors of today's plastids (chloroplasts) in plants, cyanobacteria did shape geochemistry of our plant like no other organism.  In addition to their glorious past cyanobacteria are also a promise to the future. 
The potential of phototrophic carbon-consuming and oxygen-evolving microorganisms can be a key element to tackle some of the  **grand challenges of the 21st century**, ranging from **climate change**, renewable **chemical bulk products**, to **energy and food security**. 
The group investigates the organization and function of **metabolic networks**. We are primarily interested in phototrophic metabolism using **cyanobacteria** as model organisms.

===== People =====

 [[:members:steuer:start|Ralf Steuer]] (PI), Rune Hoeper (PhD), Daria Komkova (PhD)

**Former members:** 
Suraj Sharma (postdoc), Marjan Faizi (PhD student), 
Henning Knoop (postdoc), Lars Baehr (PhD student, now CellDEG), Raik Otto (student worker), Natalie Stanford (postdoc), Stefan Muller (postdoc), Sabrina Hoffmann (postdoc), Willi Gottstein (PhD student, via CSB), Leif Blaese (Master student), Christian Beck (PhD student), Ulrich Tillich (postdoc), Stefanie Westermark (postdoc), Karolin Keil (student worker), Marco Ruegen (PhD student)  \\


----


===== Funding =====
  * BMBF Forschungsnetzwerk LiSyM-Krebs: [[https://www.dekade-gegen-krebs.de/de/wir-ueber-uns/aktuelles-aus-der-dekade/_documents/forschungsnetzwerk_leberkrebs_smart-nafld.html?nn=473182|SMART-NAFLD]]
  * DFG Project: Leben vom Licht: vom Wachstum einer Zelle zu produktiven Ökosystemen, Projektnummer 453048493
  * DFG Research Training Group [[http://www.berlin-csb.de|"Computational Systems Biology"]] [as associated group]
  * Exist-Gründerstipendium „CellDeg“ (BMBF, Förderkennzeichen 03EGSBE291) [2015-2016] 
  * e:Bio CyanoGrowth: Die Organisationsprinzipien des cyanobakteriellen Stoffwechsels" (BMBF, FKZ 0316192) [2013-2017]
  * Einstein Stiftung Berlin: CyanoMetal
  * e:Bio CYANOSYS II: Systems Biology of Cyanobacterial Biofuel Production (BMBF)
  * EU FP7 STREP: DirectFuel [2010-2014]
  * FORSYS-Partner: Systems Biology of Cyanobacterial Biofuel Production (BMBF) [2008-2012]