Course of study: Theology (diploma); Philosophy (Bachelor)

Supervised by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Sarah J?ger

Leibsorge und Seelsorge

I understand the term “Leibsorge” (care for the body) as a further development of the traditional concept of “Seelsorge” (care for the soul). It aims to expand the spiritual and?emotional approach with a bodily-oriented and thus more holistic perspective. The concept of “Leibsorge” is not intended to promote a cult of the body - which would reduce the body to a functionally optimizable object - but rather to foster an experience of the body through
various forms of movement. At the heart of this approach lies the question of how bodily experiences not only shape
personal spirituality and self-awareness, but also open up new spaces for relationships,?encounters, and shared experiences - thus gaining theological relevance.?Body and soul are not to be viewed as separate entities, but rather as a unified whole that each?person must - and can - care for.

Contact:
valentine.weigel@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Law (state examination)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Christian Alexander

Protection of children and adolescents in social networks – Digital Services Act and national german law
Social media is an integral part of today’s media scene. This statement applies to the EU as well as Germany in particular. It is especially true regarding minors. Social networks allow users to create content, which is saved and distributed by providers. The number of legal violations is above average on social networks. This is due to the structure of the services e.g. the anonymity of creators and the operation of algorithms. So far, these risks were mainly managed by the national law of member states. Since 2024 the Digital Services Act (DSA), an EU act, contributes due diligence which are to be adhered by all providers including social networks. Thus, the DSA protects minors as well.
For this reason, I want to investigate how this protection works in detail, how german law and the DSA interact with each other and whether, and if, how the regulations promote media savvy.

Contact:
tristan.becker@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Economics (M.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Matthias Menter

Green Innovation and Corporate Sustainability Communication: An Empirical Analysis of German DAX Companies

The research project examines the extent to which the sustainability strategies communicated by DAX-listed companies align with their actual performance in the field of “green innovation” and measurable ESG indicators. In addition to analyzing green patents based on the EPO PATSTAT database, ESG scores are considered, with a particular focus on carbon footprints as a key metric. Complementary to this, an AI-supported text analysis of annual reports is conducted, using an SDG-oriented scoring system to quantify the intensity of sustainability communication. Regression analyses are applied to assess relationships between external communication, innovation activities, and ESG performance, and to identify potential discrepancies. The project thus contributes to a systematic evaluation of corporate sustainability strategies and situates the findings within the Greenwashing debate. Furthermore, it provides methodological impulses for integrating patent analysis, ESG data, and AI-based approaches in innovation and sustainability research.

Contact:
sebastian.frisch@uni-jena.de

Course of study:? Economics (M.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Silke ?belmesser

Determinants for the Support and Design of a Wealth Tax in Germany

Although not officially abolished, Germany has not levied a wealth tax for over 25 years.
However, amidst persistent wealth inequality, its political relevance is growing. Economic
research primarily focuses on theoretical models, while empirical studies on public acceptance
and specific design features are scarce, especially in the German context. This?project addresses this gap by empirically investigating German citizens' attitudes towards?reintroducing a wealth tax, focusing on concrete design preferences and the impact of?targeted information interventions.
Utilizing an experimental survey dataset from the chair (Prof. Dr. Silke ?belmesser), the
project analyzes approval of a wealth tax, preferred tax rates, and desired exemption thresholds. It aims to provide valuable scientific insights and could also offer concrete guidance for political communication and the design of a potential wealth tax, thereby supporting fact-based policy debates and offering an empirical counterweight to the predominantly
theoretical literature.

Contact:
hannes.ruehlemann@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Economics (M.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Silke ?belmesser

Wealth Composition in Germany: An Analysis of Regional and Socio-Demographic Differences

The project examines the composition of wealth in Germany. In addition to total net wealth, various wealth categories (e.g., real estate, financial assets, and business assets) are analyzed, along with possible correlations with socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, place of residence, and education.
The project aims to contribute to economic research on wealth structure and distribution, provide information to political decision-makers, and stimulate public debate.

Course of study: Business Administration (M.Sc)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Andreas Freytag

Left Behind or Built Up? Infrastructure Investment and Support for Populism within the context of State of Thuringia in Germany

Local factors such as investments in infrastructure can influence the electoral success of populist parties like the AfD. Investments in infrastructure include, for example, investments in the road network, public transport connections, the expansion of digital infrastructure, and public facilities such as schools or administrative buildings. Austerity measures in investments can reinforce the feeling of being left behind and thus increase the electoral success of populist parties.
The Free State of Thuringia, with its structurally weak regions and high vote shares for populist parties, offers a suitable research basis.
In the Thuringian state elections in September 2024, the AfD received over 30% of the vote for the first time, becoming the strongest party in the state. Rural regions in particular have developed into party strongholds in recent years. This makes research into the causes all the more important.
The aim of my research is therefore to empirically examine the connection between infrastructure investments and the electoral success of populist parties.

Contact:
Lena.meyer@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Art History and Film Studies (B. A.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Verena Krieger

Ernst Haeckel’s Photographic Legacy: Scientific and Colonial Image Practices in the Late 19th and Early 20th Century

The project examines the photographic legacy of Ernst Haeckel?(1834–1919) at the intersection of photography, science, and colonialism. Ethnographic photographs collected during travels and through colonial networks are approached as material, yet mobile, objects. Through their supposed “mechanical objectivity,” they produced knowledge, stabilized biological and racist hierarchies, and circulated in popular scientific contexts via Haeckel’s work. The research particularly focuses on Haeckel’s own scientific collection and photographic practices: Which meanings emerge during the production of the photographs by colonial actors, and which only arise through the classification, labeling, and organization by collectors??

In cooperation with the Ernst-Haeckel House, curatorial strategies are developed using the original material to explore ways to critically engage with colonial photo archives, reflect on their epistemic function, and explore questions of exhibition and representation.

Contact:
hannah.hollweck@uni-jena.de

Course of study: German, French (LA,state examinatin)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Iris Winkler

Promoting writing skills in L1-education: a comparison of German and Finnish textbooks

Writing skills are considered a key prerequisite for educational success and social participation. A particularly challenging exam format in L1 teaching in upper secondary school is material-based writing, which plays a central role in final exams in both Germany and Finland. It combines text production with the critical use of sources and provides insights into ideas of authorship, text competence and independence.

My project focuses on the question of what ideas of the ‘ideal writer’ are constructed in German and Finnish textbooks. To this end, I examine current curricula and units from two textbooks each that specifically prepare learners for material-based writing. Unlike studies that focus on student texts, my work focuses on textbooks as artefacts shaped by cultural and educational policy. They act as a link between curricular requirements and school practice and reveal the roles assigned to learners and how writing is presented to them as an activity.

Embedded in a research project between the University of Jena (Prof. Iris Winkler) and the University of Turku (Prof. Sara Routarinne), my work contributes to revealing similarities and differences in the promotion of writing skills and provides impetus for the further development of writing didactics and teacher training.

Contact:
maria.leipold@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Literature, Art, Culture (M.A.)

Supervised by Dr. Johanna Bohley

Friederike Helene Unger's work politics in the literary field of Romanticism and her fairy tale "Princess Gr?cula"

The research project combines two themes: the positioning of the writer Friederike Helene Unger (1741?-1813) in the literary field around 1800 and a historical-critical commentary on her romantic fairy tale Princess Gr?cula. Unger's texts reveal a clear criticism of the literary trends of Romanticism and the central discourses on the beautiful soul, which she counters with a distinct female perspective.?

The project's focus is both on genre-specific analysis and on the study of female authorship in Romanticism. In contrast to the frequently hagiographic reception of Goethe in the early romanticism period, Unger's literary practice offers a room to reflect a romantic authorship that is as nuanced as it is highly problematic in terms of her anti-Semitism.

Contact:
Fiona.maurer@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Literature, Art, Culture (M. A.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Stefan Matuschek

The witch as sovereign and emancipated perpetrator in contemporary female myth revisions: A new type of the Femme Fatale?

The motif of the femme fatale is traditionally patriarchal and misogynistic. When portrayed by female authors, it is treated controversially, ranging from criticism of the perpetuation of the “male gaze” to the potential of a sexually emancipated woman. Based on the feminist rewriting of the prototypical figure of Circe by Madeline Miller, the project focuses on the witch as femme fatale in contemporary female revisions of myths in literature. It examines whether the reactivation of the witch motif leads to a new typology of the femme fatale that emancipates and enacts female perpetration and undermines patriarchal character attributions. The project focuses on texts that adapt or revise witch figures from mythology but still portray them in a perpetrator role. Given the socially determining character of literary-historical attributions, these feminist rewritings are relevant as they can open up new perspectives on female agency in literature and society.

Contact:
marie.annett.moser@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Assyriology (B. A.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Johannes Hackl

Studies on Diachronic Change in the Assyrian-Babylonian language: The Subordinate Clause in Middle Babylonian Letters

The project investigates the change in syntax in Babylonia during the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age and draws conclusions about the social constitution of the speaker community. The focus is on subordinate clauses, as significant changes are to be expected here. The analysis is based on Middle Babylonian letters, whose proximity to the spoken language provides insights into the everyday usage of the Akkadian language. These will be compared diachronically with Neoabylonian letters in order to reconstruct the stages of development from Middle to Neo-Babylonian. At the same time, external influences from neighbouring languages are taken into account in order to paint a comprehensive picture of the linguistic landscape of the Near East. The aim is to use the corpus of letters to identify precise developments?within the Mesopotamian linguistic tradition and thus shed light on the dynamics of linguistic
innovations and their connection to socio-cultural upheavals.

Contact:
hannah.schier@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Modern History (M.A)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Gisela Mettele

Narratives of the non-conformist body. Matthias Vernaldi's “Dezemberfahrt” as a self-testimony of a life with a disability in the GDR opposition

Although Matthias Vernaldi (1959–2020) was a central figure in the German disability rights movement, he has not been taken up in historical scholarship. In 1978, he founded a commune in Hartroda, Thuringia, where people with and without disabilities lived together.?

In the 1990s, he moved to Berlin and engaged in diverse and persistent advocacy for accessibility and inclusion. In my research project, I examine his autobiographical narrative Dezemberfahrt (1995) as a historical ego-document, focusing on narratives of the nonconforming body, and situate these within the disability history of the GDR and Vernaldi’s activism in the GDR opposition. In this work, Vernaldi describes the body as something dynamic, whose dependence and disability shift according to situation and environment. The study aims to foreground the historicity and variability of practices of attribution and societal modes of interaction with people with disabilities. Furthermore, it provides insights into the discrepancy between the authoritarian socialist ideal and the actual everyday lives of GDR citizens with disabilities

Contact:
alina.sonnefeld@uni-jena.de

Course of study: English/American Studies (M.A.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Volker Gast

Can you lie like a native? A reality monitoring approach to L2 Deception

Can you lie like a native? This project explores how people's second-language skills influence the way they tell lies in writing. Focusing on German speakers of English, it asks whether more advanced learners can make their lies sound more like the truth compared to beginners. The study uses the Reality Monitoring framework to look at the small, but telling details in a story—what someone saw, heard, felt, and thought—and how these differ when the writer is lying or telling the truth. By comparing lies and truths across different proficiency levels, the project aims to uncover how language mastery shapes deception. The results could not only deepen our understanding of how lies are told in a second language but also help improve credibility assessments in multilingual settings such as interviews, investigations, and asylum cases.

Contact:
mona.taghavi.far@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Modern History (M. A.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Kim Siebenhüner

Black Servants at the Weimar Court in the 18th Century

In early modern European princely courts, splendor was part of power politics. Alongside the conspicuous consumption of colonial goods like tobacco, coffee, or cocoa, it was also common to employ Black people or people of color at court. These Servants were intended to project cosmopolitanism, extensive connections, and the ruler’s power.

These individuals’ lives varied greatly: while displacement, lack of freedom, and extreme dependency were often part of their experiences, their could also include privileges, education, and material wealth.

My project examines this phenomenon at the 18th-century Weimar court, where it can also be documented. The focus is on the individuals themselves and the scope of agency they had during their service.

Where was their agency restricted? What means did they have to expand it? How does it compare with the agency of other servants?

Contact:
tom.tschepe@uni-jena.de

Course of study: History and Politics of the 20th century

Supervised by apl. Prof. Dr. Annette Weinke

Between Adaptation and Exclusion - Basketball under National Socialism. A cultural-historical investigation into the transfer of a US-American sport

Basketball is one of the most popular team sports in the world today – including in Germany, which has been the reigning world champion since 2023. What is less well known, however, is that the early history of German basketball is closely intertwined with the political, ideological, and cultural conditions of the Nazi era. This research project focuses on the early phase of basketball in Germany during the Nazi era, a period that has been little studied to date, and asks how this explicitly “American” sport was able to establish itself in a regime that was ideologically strongly oriented toward segregation and “ethnic” body politics.

The focus is particularly on questions about the actors and institutions that introduced basketball into the German sports system and attempted to establish it, as well as on the symbolic significance of the sport within Nazi ideology. How was basketball evaluated in the context of the tension between the propagated construction of an enemy image of the USA, the rejection of Western individuality, and a nevertheless existing interest in modern physical culture? And to what extent can processes of adaptation, exclusion, or reinterpretation be observed?

Contact:
yannis.noah.walter-lanzenberger@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Soziology (M. A.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Silke van Dyk

Other classes matter!? - On a socio-structural basis for a socio-ecological welfare state from the perspective of Bourdieu's class analysis

My project deals with the socio-structural basis for an ecological welfare state from the perspective of Bourdieu's class analysis. The background to this topic is the crisis of social metabolism with (human and non-human) nature (Dowling 2022External link; Schaupp 2024External link) and the relevance of an ecological welfare state that focuses on public infrastructure and services (Coote 2022External link; Gough 2019External link; Neckel 2024External link) and the recognition of different forms of work (Laruffa 2022External link) for its ‘alleviation’. It is assumed that the cultural fractions of the working class and middle class tend to be open to such a reorientation of the welfare state (Eversberg/Fritz 2023External link). Without the corresponding social power relations, no change in the regulation of society's metabolism with nature is possible (G?rg 2003External link). To test this assumption, a representative population survey will be evaluated using the methodological tools of Bourdieu's class analysis.

Contact:
jan-ole.deitmer@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Psychology (B.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Klaus Rothermund

Self- vs. other-related age cues and their effect on the subjective perception of ageing

In everyday life, we encounter a variety of age-related cues - whether by looking in the mirror or by observing older people. But do such stimuli influence subjective age and expected remaining life expectancy in different ways?

Together with my supervisor Prof. Rothermund, I am investigating this question in this project. We assume that self-related age cues trigger an assimilation effect: Negative age stereotypes are more strongly internalized, which leads to a higher subjective age and a lower subjective remaining life expectancy. Other-related age cues, on the other hand, should trigger a contrast effect that contributes to a distancing from age stereotypes, a lower subjective age and a higher remaining life expectancy.

For empirical testing, we are conducting a questionnaire study.?

Depending on the condition, the participants are either confronted with a mirror or a collage of older people and then write down their thoughts on ageing.

Contact:
mathilde.franz@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Politics Communication (M. A.)

Supervised by Dr. Elisa Hofmann

Constructive Journalism and Its Potential to Reduce News Avoidance

In recent years, many countries have witnessed a worrying trend: an increasing number of people are deliberately turning away from the news, either because they perceive the coverage as overly negative or because they no longer trust the media. This development poses a serious challenge to democratic societies, which rely on informed civic participation. My research project explores whether constructive journalism (a solution-oriented form of reporting) can help counteract this trend. Using an experimental online survey, I investigate whether such reporting can enhance trust in journalistic content and foster interest in political information. The aim is to identify the potential of a journalistic practice that not only informs but also encourages active engagement with societal challenges.

Contact:
hanna.glarmin@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Psychology (B.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Gyula Kovács

Identity authenticity in familiar face perception

Face perception plays a central role in everyday life. With recent advances in AI, however, it has gained a new dimension. Synthetic faces have become so realistic that they can hardly be distinguished from real ones. In my research project, I investigate whether the mere information about a face’s authenticity influences the neural processing of familiarity and identity.

This EEG experiment is conducted under the supervision of Prof. Gyula Kovács and builds on previous work on the role of semantic information in face perception. The focus lies on examining how the attribution of aucthenticity modulates the representation of familiar faces in the brain.

Contact:
sophia.gommlich@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Education, Culture, Anthropology (M. A.)

Supervised by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Nele Kuhlmann

Education and ,Coercion' – Conceptual History, Legitimation Patterns, and Transformation of a General Pedagogical Problem Concept

Immanuel Kant identifies education's central problem: “Wie man die Unterwerfung unter den gesetzlichen Zwang mit der F?higkeit, sich seiner Freiheit zu bedienen, vereinigen k?nne.“ This tension between freedom and coercion remains constitutive for educational theory and practice today. This research project addresses the question of what meanings coercion has corresponded to in educational contexts since then, how coercion has been related to education, and what legitimation patterns coercion has followed in this sense. The methodological starting point is Koselleck's “Begriffsgeschichte”. Time periods significant for professional pedagogy's development are highlighted and examined regarding lexicons, encyclopedias and respective foundational representatives. The project aims to identify transformation moments from gained insights that provoked changed meanings and new legitimations of coercion in educational contexts. Current discourses about power, responsibility, and ethics in educational science should thus be approached and explained from the perspective of coercion. (This translation was provided by Claude.ai)

Contact:
aron.michalk@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Political Communication (M.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Edda Humprecht

Affective polarisation through digital news reception: A automated content analysis in the context of social conflicts

The research project investigates how media representations of the climate movements ‘Fridays for Future’ and ‘Last Generation’ contribute to affective polarisation in society. The focus is on media attributions of legitimacy, moral justification or condemnation, as well as emotional framing that can reinforce approval or rejection of the climate movements. Methodolog-ically, the study combines a large-scale automated content analysis of over 7,000 news articles with panel surveys of over 1,500 people, which were collected over several waves as part of a large-scale research project (POLTRACKExternal link).

The aim is to investigate the effects of different preconceptions on the impact of media framing and the resulting dynamics for the development of public attitudes over time. In this way, the project contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of the media in social conflicts and in the perception of social movements.

?Contact:
clara.schultz@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Political Communication (M.A.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Irina Lock

AirBnB’s populist lobbying strategies to counter overtourism regulation

The rise of house sharing platforms like AirBnB has triggered intense policy debates in major tourist cities, with Amsterdam emerging as a key battleground.
This research project examines how Airbnb responds to such developments and governmental countermeasures by strategically employing populist communication strategies. At the core is the question of how the company portrays itself as a representative of "ordinary people" while seeking to influence political decisions and decision-makers. Methodologically, the study uses qualitative content analysis based on established categories of populist rhetoric. The goal is to uncover the political narratives of major platform companies and to show how economic interests are promoted under the guise of citizen-friendly communication. With that I hope to contribute to current debates on Corporate Political Advocacy in the digital age.

Contact:
emily.von.gagern@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Mathematics (M. Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Daniel Lenz

Singular continuous spectrum in spectral theory of dynamical systems

Disordered quantum mechanical structures can be described mathematically via random Schr?dinger operators. Mathematical research has shown that under certain circumstances the spectrum of such operators is generically singular continuous.

The main question of this project is, whether similar results also occur in structures that are "aperiodically ordered". ?One can think of a aperiodic order as a transition between disorder and "classical" order, i.e. periodic order. A famous example where aperiodic order appears in nature are quasicrystals, which are of in particular of interest in physics.

One can investigate aperiodic order mathematically via diffraction theory. Hence the aim of this project is, besides investigating known results in the spectral theory of random Schr?dinger operators, to figure out if singular continuous spectrum is also generic in diffraction theoretical approach of spectral theory of dynamical systems.

Contact:uwe.blechschmidt@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Mathematical Optimization (M.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Nils Boysen

Intelligent algorithms for mobile parcel lockers

Modern last-mile parcel delivery offers recipients multiple options, including traditional home delivery by van and self-collection from nearby parcel lockers. While customers can choose their preferred mode, logistics providers must operate separate delivery networks with distinct resources for each option. A mobile parcel locker presents a promising solution by combining both approaches into a single route:?

the vehicle parks at a designated location, where recipients (notified via smartphone) collect their parcels. Meanwhile, the courier delivers home delivery packages within the neighbourhood. Over the course of this project, this synchronization of the two delivery types is examined using a mathematical model referred to as a “Mobile Locker Routing Problem with Human Delivery”. The goal is to develop, test and evaluate intelligent algorithms for the problem, along with examining potential model extensions.

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rebecca.koehler@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Mathematics (M.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Andreas L?hne

Low-Rank Multi-Objective Linear Programming

An optimization problem consists of one or more objective function that are supposed to be maximized or minimized with respect to certain constraints. For problems with multiple objectives, known as multi-objective programs, computing time increases significantly with the number of objectives. Consequently, it is important to minimize the number of objectives.

Many approaches have been investigated to reduce the size of the problem, including the linear case in particular. In the project, a further method for linear programs with a low-rank objective matrix is studied. The objective matrix is decomposed into two factors that are then used to form an equivalent program with fewer objectives.

To prove the effectiveness of the procedure, a series of numerical examples will be developed and solved using a computer. Since this procedure has not yet been investigated in the literature, it will be published in a recognized journal and presented at a conference.

Contact:
pascal.zillmann@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Physics (M.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Martin G?rttner

Development of Scalable Graph Neural Networks for Entanglement Quantification

Entanglement between different parts of a system, which can be e.g. a spin system in form of a chain of electrons, is a fundamental feature of quantum mechanics. Quantifying it – via measures such as entanglement entropy – usually requires full knowledge of the quantum state. However, this is infeasible for larger systems, limiting the accessible system sizes. Therefore, I investigate a supervised machine learning approach to estimate entanglement features based on a set of measurement snapshots of the system. For that, I develop a permutation invariant graph neural network that makes use of the self-attention mechanism. To achieve a desirable scaling of the model, the input will be divided into smaller mini-sets which the model processes in parallel. In this way, I aim to make the neural network more parameter-efficient, making it for example possible to apply it to larger data sets.

Contact:
susanna.braeu@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Geosciences (B.Sc.)

Supervised by Dr. Philipp Balling

Kinematic forward-modelling across the central Dinarides

The Dinarides formed as a result of the Late Cretaceous collision of the Adriatic microplate with Eurasia and today constitute a prominent fold-and-thrust belt on the Balkan Peninsula. As part of my research project, I am analyzing the structural geometries and deformation processes that resulted from this collision. This includes reconstructing a balanced geological cross-section across a central part of the External Dinarides in order to create a realistic model of the subsurface. Based on this representative cross-section, the extent of crustal shortening can then be quantified and placed within a temporal framework. The chosen study area has so far been insufficiently investigated using modern structural geological methods, which means that an analysis of its structural evolution and deformation patterns can make an important contribution to understanding the deformation history of the Dinarides.

Contact:
marah.kieckbusch@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Chemistry (B.Sc.)

Supervised vy Prof. Dr. Stefanie Gr?fe

Live Long and Prosper - Quantum chemical insights into designing long-lived photoactive Iron Complexes

Photoactive transition metal complexes have a wide range of applications: the conversion of
solar into chemical energy or therapeutic applications. Rare 4d and 5d metals like ruthenium
are often used in such applications. These metals combine long lifetimes with remarkable
chemical stability and electrochemical properties but are problematic from an environmental
chemical perspective. Therefore, a transition to coordination compounds with earth-abundant
metals such as iron is necessary. The present project "Live Long and Prosper – Quantum
Chemical Insights into Designing Long-Lived Photoactive Iron Complexes" aims to provide a
theoretical description of iron complexes with longer lifetimes based on quantum chemical
calculations. The complexes were synthesized and characterized spectroscopically in the group
of our collaborator Cui Wang (University of Konstanz). The computational approach aims to
elucidate structure-property relationships which allow us to further increase the lifetime of such
complexes and thus enable the substitution of photoactive complexes based on rare earth
elements.

Contact:
celina.titze@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Biochemistry / Molecular Biology (B.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof. Dr. Pierre Stallforth

Characterization and analysis of bishenol dimers in Vibrrio cholerae

Increasing antibiotic resistance and the pollution of the marine environment by microplastics are arguably among the greatest problems of our time. Even more threatening is the fact that bacteria can use microplastic particles to form biofilms, in which the bacteria are better protected against environmental influences. When bisphenols, common components of many plastic products, are added, the bacteria tent to form much more efficient biofilms. However, the underlying mechanisms are still not understood. In my research project, I would like to investigate the influence of bisphenols on the human pathogen Vibrio cholerae in more detail and characterize possible metabolic effects.

Course of study: Molecular Life Scieces (M.Sc.)

Supervised by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Julie Zedler

Developing Nanocarriers for Molecule Delivery to Plants

Every day plants are exposed to a variety of stress factors. Due to climate change, the stress factors they face will increase both in number and intensity. Therefore, it is desirable to find a way of reliably delivering specific molecular cargo, such as RNA or proteins, to plants once stress conditions arise.
To this end, I want to develop a flexible, customizable, and environmentally friendly nanotechnology-based cargo-delivery system. This will be based on proteinaceous structures that bind the molecular cargo for delivery to plants.
In my research project I want to produce these protein structures sustainably in cyanobacteria, test different modes of assembly and cargo-loading, and assess both their uptake and systemic distribution in plants.

Course of study: Biology (B.Sc.)

Supervised by Prof.Dr. Jan Schirawski

The role of the gen 13906 in the forma specialis sel, of sporisorium reilianum, for the infection of corn

The fungus Sporisorium reilianum exists in two formae speciales, SRS causing head smut of sorghum, and SRZ causing head smut of maize. The gene 13906 is involved in virulence of SRS on sorghum. In SRZ, 13906 is transcribed into two splice variants, SP1 nearly identical to the variant in SRS, and SP2 resulting in a shortened protein with an altered C-terminus. We want to determine whether and which of the two splice variants of 13906 in SRZ contribute to virulence on maize. We will inoculate maize with SRZ 13906 knockout strains, SRZ 13906 complementation strains expressing either SP1 or SP2, and wildtype strains and analyze virulence, colonization success and the degree of plant defense. An RNAseq experiment will identify SRZ 13906-dependently expressed maize genes. This will show whether 13906 of SRZ, and which of its two splice variants, has a similar function in maize as the 13906 gene of SRS in sorghum.

Contact:
edgar.john@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Biology (B.Sc.)

Supervised by Dr. Kathrin Fr?hlich?

Localization of regulatory RNAs on the model bacterium Caulobacter crescentus

Caulobacter crescentus is a model organism for studying bacterial cell cycle regulation and differentiation. Its asymmetric division generates a replication-competent stalked cell and a motile, replication-inactive swarmer cell, which can be isolated and synchronized to analyze defined stages of the cell cycle. While protein-based regulation has been extensively studied, RNA biology in C. crescentus is still poorly understood. In particular, it remains unclear whether small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are subject to spatial and temporal control and how they contribute to cellular differentiation. This project aims to investigate sRNA expression dynamics and localization during the cell cycle.

Course of study: Biochemistry / Molecular Biology (B.Sc.)

Supervised by Dr. Anne Busch

The role of Immunosuppressants in enhancing Antibiotic Resistance in Bile Duct Microbiomes

After liver transplantation patients must take medications that suppress the immune system. The so-called immunosuppressants prevent the body from rejecting the new organ but also reduce the body?s ability to fight infections. A serious complication is cholangitis, an inflammation of the bile ducts that carry bile from the liver to the intestine.

These infections often arise from polymicrobial biofilms that can form on inserted catheters. Biofilms are communities of different bacterial species living closely together and surrounded by a self-produced protective layer. This layer makes the bacteria more resistant to antibiotics and harder for the immune system to eliminate. Individual bacteria can leave the biofilm, spread through the bile ducts and trigger an infection.

It is suspected that immunosuppressants may promote the exchange of genetic material between bacteria, facilitating the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance. How and to what extent these drugs affect bacterial communities is still unknown. The project aims to uncover how biofilms respond to such medications and provide insights to improve treatment strategies after organ transplantation.

Contact:
sarah.schwab@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Human medicine (state examination)

Supervised by apl. Prof. Dr. Ralf Alexander Claus

Sphingolipid profiles for risk assessment in community-acquired pneumonia

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), as a lower respiratory tract
infection, is among the most common infectious diseases worldwide.
Although symptoms may initially appear mild, the clinical condition of
hospitalized patients can deteriorate unexpectedly, sometimes
requiring intensive care treatment.
However, established clinical risk scores were originally developed to
guide the decision on hospitalization and often fail to capture such
deterioration during the hospital stay.
This project investigates whether specific biomarkers from the group
of sphingolipids – particularly the lipid mediator S1P and various
ceramides – can enable earlier risk prediction.
We perform lipid analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass
spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in over 250 carefully selected serum samples
from the international CAPNETZ data- and biobank. Patients were
matched for age, sex, and comorbidities and grouped according to
clinical course.
The aim is to evaluate the predictive value of biochemical markers
compared to traditional clinical scores and thus contribute to
improved risk assessment for patients with CAP.

Contact:
marc.birner@uni-jena.de

Course of study: Human medicine (state examination)

Supervised by PD Dr. Stefanie Deitnhardt-Emmer

Non-canonical inflammasome activation in respiratory virus infections

Influenza A virus (IAV) causes severe respiratory infections that can even lead to pneumonia. During the infection, pro-inflammatory cytokines are released which are necessary to fight the infection but also induce programmed cell death in immune cells, such as macrophages.

An important defense strategy of macrophages is the activation of inflammasome complexes. The NLRP3 inflammasome, which leads to the activation of caspase 1, has been very well studied. The caspase activation initiates cell death and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β and interleukin-18.

In addition to those canonical inflammasome proteins, there is a non-canonical inflammasome signaling pathway for the activation of caspases. This pathway is activated by intracellular bacterial components such as lipopolysaccharides. However, the activation of this pathway has not yet been described for viral infections.

Interestingly, previous data from my research group showed that the non-canonical inflammasome pathway was upregulated at gene level in macrophages during IAV infection. Therefore, the goal of my research project is to determine whether the non-canonical inflammasome pathway is activated in macrophages during respiratory viral infections. The results may contribute to the development of new therapeutic interventions for severe respiratory viral infections.

Contact:
thurid.lauf@uni-jena.de