Prof J Wendland

Prof. Jürgen Wendland is the head of Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry at the Hochschule Geisenheim University (HGU) in Germany.

He studied Biology at the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen and earned his PhD in Genetics at the Philipps-University in Marburg, Germany in 1996. Following a postdoc at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel in Switzerland he worked as assistant at the Friedrich-Schiller University and, in addition, the Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology  in Jena, Germany.  It is here that he completed his habilitation in Microbiology and Genetics (2004). He then became professor of yeast biology and fermentation at the Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen where he studied fungal genetics and biology and lager yeast genomics. After a three year affiliation with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium he moved to Geisenheim at the beginning of 2019.

Vinifera Teaching: Jürgen teaches about pure culture yeasts, yeast genetics and physiology, molecular yeast breeding and the use of non-conventional yeasts in the Enology module.

Research interests: His research interests are on fungal biology, genetics and genomics. Firstly, this includes yeast breeding to improve current production strains.  Secondly, Jürgen works in the Geisenheim Yeast Breeding Center to improve comparative yeast genomics and biocontrol with the unique group of predator yeasts of the genus Saccharomycopsis.

Furthermore, he collaborates internationally with many scientists in Europe and around the world in research and teaching. He has particular involvement with European Marie Curie ITN Research projects .

Contact: Juergen.Wendland@hs-gm.de