Molecular Biology Laboratories

People

The Molecular Biology Laboratories were created with effect from 1 January 2018 by a merger between DNA Laboratory and Laboratory of Population Genetics. They provide up to date wet-lab infrastructure for DNA analyses of plants and fungi to researchers of the IB. This includes a large range of DNA isolation techniques from a broad variety of sources (e.g., leaves, roots, herbarium material, fungal cultures, soil) at various scales (up to hundreds of samples), facilities for DNA fragment analysis, Real-Time PCR, library preparation for NGS and cloning. Apart from technical and material equipment, the lab staff also provides support for the preparation and execution phases of research projects, ranging from basic advise to supervision, data analysis and publication of results, depending on topic and type of collaboration.

The research focuses on a large variety of questions in the frame of the institute’s activities (see Departments) that can be answered with the help of DNA markers. These include the elucidation of species relationships, molecular identification of species and hybrids, development of specific molecular markers for non-model organisms, understanding of patterns of molecular evolution and intragenomic processes, analysis of population and community structures, patterns of introgression etc.

Head of the laboratory: Dr. Judith Fehrer