Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum, Berlin-Dahlem Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum, Berlin-Dahlem

Scientific staff

Dr. Birgit Gemeinholzer

Contact:
Dr. Birgit Gemeinholzer
Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Freie Universität Berlin, Koenigin-Luise-Straße 6-8, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
Phone: (+4930) 838-50152, Fax: (+4930) 841-72924, E-mail: b.gemeinholzer[at]bgbm.org.

Functions:

  • Scientific supervisor of the molecular laboratory
  • Coordinator of the DNA Bank Network (DFG)

Molecular laboratory at the BGBM:

The molecular laboratory at the BGBM is equipped with state of the art instrumentation to carry out genetic analyses on nucleic acids. Ongoing work concentrates on the study of genetic diversity in plants and diatoms, analyzing relationships among populations to higher taxonomic levels. Our research is applicable to concerns for phylogenetic analysis, DNA based organism identification (DNA Barcoding) and conservation biology and relevant for taxonomic and biodiversity issues. The molecular laboratory at the BGBM provides facilities for the isolation of nucleic acids and their characterisation by sequencing or fragment analysis. The laboratory is well equipped with computing equipment and network links for analyses.

Research interests:

  • Reconstruction of the molecular phylogeny of the Cichorieae (Lactuceae) within the Asteraceae with special emphasis on tribal delimitation. (in cooperation with N. Kilian and H. W. Lack
  • Establishment of a DNA Bank Network (H. Zetzsche, G. Droege, A. Schories) in cooperation with the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Munich (ZSM), the German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig (DSMZ) and the Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn (ZFMK)) and supported by DFG
  • In-situ and ex-situ population structure analysis and fitness variation in populations of the endangered plant species Silene chlorantha and S. otites. (Caryophyllaceae), supported by DBU and Heidehofstiftung (D. Lauterbach).
  • Phylogeographical and population genetic analysis on endangered plant species in north eastern Germany, supported by Friends of Botanic Garden Berlin-Dahlem, LUA-Brandenburg
  • Screening the inter- and intraspecific variability of plants and diatoms to examine the reliability of diagnostic markers - DNA-Barcoding (in cooperation with R. Jahn and J. Zimmermann) )
  • Establishment of a molecular phylogeny of Crepis/Asteraceae to analyze morphological and caryological character evolution within the genus (N. Enke), supported by DFG

Curriculum:

1994-1995 Master of Science at the University and the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh/GB
1996-2000 Research Associate at the University of Heidelberg, Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology
2000 PhD, University of Heidelberg (Reconstruction of the molecular phylogeny of the Solanaceae)
2001-2004 Postdoc at the Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK-Gatersleben)
since 2004 Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (FU-Berlin)

Memberships in scientific societies:

  • International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT)
  • Gesellschaft fuer Biologische Systematik (GfBS)
  • Botanischer Verein Berlin-Brandenburg
  • Deutsche Botanische Gesellschaft (DBG)

Appointments:

  • Member of the Senatskommission for Biodiversity Research (DFG)
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