Where are you from, and what is your role in Extreme 2004?

I'm from the University of Greifswald, which is in the far northeast of Germany at the Baltic shore. I participate in the Extreme 2004 expedition as a guest of Horst Felbeck and Craig Cary.

What questions are you trying to answer and why?

I'm working on my Ph.D. thesis at the Institute of Marine Biotechnology (http://www.marine-biotechnologie.de) and try to investigate the symbiotic bacteria that live inside Riftia pachyptila, the giant tubeworm. My goal is to analyze the symbiotic relationship between the bacteria and their host.

Why is this research important? What are the benefits?

The long-term benefit of this kind of research might be the better understanding of interactions between bacteria (for example, also pathogenous bacteria) and higher organism, like plants, animals, or even humans.

What is your background, and what lured you into marine science/education?

I have studied biology here in Greifswald and already wrote my diploma thesis in molecular biology about the proteins in Riftia symbionts. That's how I ended up being involved in marine science on a molecular level.