Curriculum vitae

• Volker Mueller (born September 12, 1959)
• Diploma (Biology), University of Goettingen, 1985
• Ph.D. Thesis in Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Goettingen, 1987
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Microbiology, University of Goettingen, 1987-88
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, 1989-90
• Assistant, Institute of Microbiology, University of Goettingen, 1991-94
• Habilitation (Microbiology), University of Goettingen, 1994
• Heisenberg-Fellow, German Science Foundation (DFG), 1995-97
• Associate Professor (C3), Institute of Microbiology, Maximilians University Munich, 1997-2002
• Full Professor (C4), Institute of Molecular Biosciences (formerly Institute of Microbiology), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt, since 2003

Honors and awards

• Ph. D. thesis award, German Society for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM), 1988
• Postdoctoral fellowship, German Science Foundation (DFG), 1989
• Young Investigator Award (Förderpreis), German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM), 1995
• Heisenberg Fellowship, German Science Foundation, 1996

Professional duties

• Minireview-Editor, Applied and Environmental Microbiology
• Editorial Board: Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology, Aquatic Systems, Archaea, Frontiers in Microbiology, Extremophiles
• Advisor/Consultant for Biotech Companies
• Director, Institute of Molecular Biosciences (2005 - 2007)
• Director, Center of Membrane Proteomics (2007 - 2009)
• Dean, Faculty of Biosciences (2007 - 2009)
• Vice Dean, Faculty of Biosciences (2006 - 2007, 2009 - 2010)
• Advisory Board, German Society for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM)

Research Interests

• Physiology of anaerobic acetogenic bacteria and methanogenic archaea; Bioenergetics of acetogenesis  and methanogenesis; Structure, function and evolution of ATP synthases; ion-motive membrane proteins linked to acetogenesis or methanogenesis; Structure and function of the ion-motive Rnf complex (ferredoxin:NAD⁺oxidoreductase); Electron bifurcation: a new paradigm in microbial energy conservation; Hydrogenase; Caffeyl-CoA-Reduktase; Biochemistry of acetogenesis and caffeate respiration; Regulation of carbon and electron flow in acetogenic bacteria
• Anaerobic microbes in biotechnological applications: Synthesis of biocommodities via synthesis gas fermentation; genetic engineering and rationale metabolic design; synthetic microbiology
• Molecular basis of saltadaptation in halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms; Transport and biosynthesis of compatible solutes; Ion homoeostasis; Signalperception and signal transduction chains; Gene activation; Functional genome analyses
• Biotechnological application of moderate halophiles: Synthesis and application of organic osmolytes, carotenoids and exoenzymes
• Role of chloride in microorganisms: Chloride, a new signal molecule for microbes; Identification of chloride induced genes and proteins; Analyses of the chloride regulon; gene expression; enzyme activation

geändert am 19. März 2013  E-Mail: Webmasterm.fauth@bio.uni-frankfurt.de