Home Emeriti Departments Max Planck Research Groups Emmy Noether Research Group Department-independent Research Groups Emerita & Emeriti Max Planck Fellows Former Research Group Leaders Research Cooperations Emerita & Emeriti Ralf Conrad, former director of the Department of Biogeochemistry, studied soil microorganisms involved in biogeochemical processes and trace gas exchange (CH₄, N₂O, H₂) between soil and atmosphere, using flooded rice fields as a model for climate-relevant processes. Regine Kahmann, former director of the Department of Organismic Interaction, used Ustilago maydis to investigate how fungi infect plants, suppress plant immunity, and influence plant processes, identifying proteins that are important for pathogenicity. Rudolf K. Thauer, former director of the Department of Biochemistry, studied the energy metabolism of anaerobic microorganisms, focusing on enzymes and coenzymes of clostridia, sulfate-reducing, methanogenic, and methanotrophic species.
