projects

Click on the link to learn more about the projects. The classifications of the projects (Forschungsmodul, summerschool, BSc-thesis and MSc-thesis) are suggestive. If a project interests you for a Forschungsmodul but has a MSc-thesis classification, you are still strongly encouraged to contact the relevant supervisor to discuss the project.

Open Projects

Comparison of two methods to detect de novo genes

Supervisor: Marie Lebherz
Project type: FM

Improve a de novo TE library

Supervisor: Marie Lebherz
Project type: FM

Comparison of TE content and distribution between Drosophila species

Supervisor: Marie Lebherz
Project type: FM

Annotation and basic analyses of beetle genomes

Supervisor: Sarah Rinke
Project type: FM

How differences in genome annotation affect downstream analyses

Supervisor: Sarah Rinke
Project type: BA/FM/MA

Laboratory Evolution of de novo proteins

Supervisor: Bharat Ravi
Project type: MA/FM

In silico evolution of newly emerging proteins

Supervisor: Bharat Ravi
Project type: MA/FM

Finding evidence of de novo proteins using mass spectrometry data analysis

Supervisor: Bharat Ravi
Project type: BA/FM

Ancestral reconstruction - Characterization of ancestral proteins of a possible de novo protein from Homo sapiens

Supervisor: Andreas Lange
Project type: BA/FM

Understanding de novo gene emergence using a stochastic mathematical model of mutagenesis, selection and population growth

Supervisor: Bharat Ravi
Project type: MA

Purification of putative de novo proteins from inclusion bodies

Supervisor: Andreas Lange
Project type: FM

A quest for the missing piece in the puzzle of epithelial junctions

Supervisor: Erich Bornberg-Bauer and Prof. Stefan Luschnig (Institute of Neuro- and Behavioural Biology)
Project type: FM/BSc-thesis

Developing algorithms for the analysis of domains and their arrangements

Supervisor: Carsten Kemena
Project type: BSc/Msc-thesis

Ongoing Projects

Previous Projects

In silico selection and directed evolution of bioactive de novo emerged proteins

Supervisor: Lars Eicholt
Project type: BA/FM/MA

Genome assembly of Drosophila melanogaster

Supervisor: Anna Grandchamp
Project type: FoM/BSc/MSc

Studying the way of emergence of the de novo genes in Drosophila melanogaster

Supervisor: Anna Grandchamp
Project type: FoM/BSc/MSc

Chemosensory genes and mate perception in the viviparous cockroach /Diploptera punctata/

Supervisor: Bertrand Fouks
Project type: FoM / BSc

Regulation of Gene Expression & Transposable Elements

Supervisor: Bertrand Fouks
Project type: FM

Sociality Impact on Genome Evolution

Supervisor: Bertrand Fouks
Project type: FM/ BSc/ MSc-thesis

Transposable Elements families & Functional Categories

Supervisor: Bertrand Fouks
Project type: FM

Sequencing Techniques & the Discovery of Transposable Elements

Supervisor: Bertrand Fouks
Project type: FM/ BSc/ MSc-thesis

Purification and analysis (in vitro & in silico) of putative de novo proteins

Supervisor: Lars Eicholt
Project type: BA/FM/MA

Expression, purification, analysis of putative de novo proteins

Supervisor: Margaux Aubel & Lars Eicholt
Project type: BA/FM/MA

Role of phase separation in the activity of de novo proteins

Supervisor: Lars Eicholt
Project type: BA/FM

Using AlphaFold2 to identify promising de novo protein candidates

Supervisor: Lars Eicholt
Project type: MA

Improving RADIANT

Supervisor: Carsten Kemena
Project type: BSc/Msc-thesis

Implementing porthoDom

Supervisor: Carsten Kemena
Project type: BSc

Genome annotation of slave-maker ants and their hosts for comparative analyses

Supervisor: Alice Séguret
Project type: MSc thesis

Development of a high-throughput assay to identify possible foldable de novo proteins

Supervisor: Margaux Aubel & Lars Eicholt
Project type: BA/FM

Chaperones - The holy grail for soluble expression of de novo proteins from D. melanogaster in E.coli? (lab-based)

Supervisor: Andreas Lange
Project type: FM/BSc/MSc-thesis (students welcome)

Adaptive Laboratory Evolution: Mapping Epistatic Mutations Within Ancestral Sulfatases

Supervisor: Berndjan Eenink
Project type: FoM/BSc-thesis

Adaptive Laboratory Evolution: Disentangling and Combining Mutations to Reveal Epistatic Effects

Supervisor: Bert van Loo
Project type: FoM/BSc/MSc-thesis

Identifying the transcriptional regulators of two insulin peptides, important in the development of termite queens.

Supervisor: Mark Harrison/Alice Séguret
Project type: FM/BSc/MSc-thesis

Does methylation target transposable elements in the termite Macrotermes natalensis?

Supervisor: Alice Séguret/Mark Harrison
Project type: FM

The evolution of gene network properties during slavemaker evolution

Supervisor: Alice Séguret
Project type: FM

The potential role of repeats in the evolution of slave-making

Supervisor: Alice Séguret
Project type: FM

Immunity gene family evolution in the European Beewolf

Supervisor: Evelien Jongepier
Project type: MSc project

Historical Enzyme Evolution: Emergence of Sulfatases in the Metallo-β-Lactamase Superfamily

Supervisor: Bert van Loo
Project type: FoM/BSc/MSc-thesis

Reading frame extension as potential domain emergence mechanism

Supervisors: Andreas Lange/Brennen Haemes
Project type: MSc-thesis

Evolution of RNA structure.

Supervisor: Jasmin Kurafeiski
Project type: FM/BSc/MSc

Effects of Epistasis on Transcription Factor Binding

Supervisor: Jasmin Kurafeiski
Project type: Summer School Project

Comparative analysis of chemoreceptors in cockroaches

Supervisor: Mark Harrison
Project type: MSc-thesis

Inference of C- and N-terminus protein extensions

Supervisor: April Kleppe
Project type: BSc-thesis

Evolution-Inspired Protein Engineering and Design: Learning from the Evolutionary History of Haloalcohol Dehalogenases?Comparative analysis of chemoreceptors in cockroaches

Supervisor: Bert van Loo
Project type: BSc-thesis

Evolution-Inspired Protein Engineering and Design: the Effect of Selection Pressure on Secondary Activities

Supervisor: Bert van Loo
Project type: FoM/BSc/MSc-thesis

Investigating proto-genic ORFs

Supervisor: Brennen Heames
Project type: Forschungsmodul

Creating a Benchmark for RADS

Supervisor: Carsten Kemena
Project type: BSc-thesis

Fast domain annotation

Supervisor: Carsten Kemena
Project type: Forschungsmodul

New Proteins out of Thin Air?

Supervisor: Jonathan Schmitz
Project type: BSc-thesis

Evolutionary rate of novel genes

Supervisor: Jonathan Schmitz
Project type: Forschungsmodul

Evolution-Inspired Protein Engineering and Design: Learning from the Evolutionary History of Haloalkane Dehalogenases?

Supervisor: Bert van Loo
Project type: BSc-thesis

Identifying regulatory elements associated with de novo genes

Supervisor: Brennen Heames
Project type: Summer School Project

Genomic adaptations in the Wolbachia endosymbiont of the European beewolf

Supervisor: Evelien Jongepier
Project type: Forschungsmodule

The genomics of enemy recognition in the slaves of slavemaker ants

Supervisor: Evelien Jongepier
Project type: MSc

Domain-Exon Overlap

Supervisor: Carsten Kemena
Project type: Forschungsmodule

Partial Domain inclusion into Dogma

Supervisor: Carsten Kemena
Project type: Forschungsmodule

Are de novo genes real? Characterization of possible de novo drosophila genes (lab-based)

Supervisor: Andreas Lange
Project type: FM/BSc/MSc-thesis

Finding de novo genes in human populations

Supervisor: Daniel Dowling
Project type: Forschungsmodule

Testing the evolutionary theory of ageing on eusocial insects

Supervisor: Mark Harrison
Project type: FM/MSc-thesis

Atlas - a de novo gene important for spermatogenesis in male Drosophila melanogaster? (lab-based)

Supervisor: Andreas Lange
Project type: FM/BSc

Conservation analysis of protein domain arrangements

Supervisor: Carsten Kemena
Project type: FM