Botanical Garden

Welcome to the Faculty of Biological Sciences

Botanical Garden
Image: Anne Günther/FSU

The Faculty of Biological Sciences represents a broad variety of biological disciplines as well as the nutritional sciences and pharmacy. Famous scholars such as the botanist Matthias Jacob Schleiden (1804-1881) and the zoologist Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) worked here with their sunny and dark sides.

The Faculty of Biological Sciences cooperates with other faculties of the Friedrich Schiller University and non-university research institutes of the Max Planck Society and the Leibniz Association in several coordinated research projects. These projects are part the Cluster of Excellence "Balance of the Microverse" External linkfunded by the German Research Foundation.  

Image: Anna Schroll
Exzellence cluster Balance of the Microverse
Research Cluster Balance of the MicroverseExternal link
The Research Cluster investigates the complex interactions of microorganisms with other organisms and with their environment, which are of great significance for the functioning of ecosystems, our climate and the well-being of plants, animals and humans.

Latest News

· Life
How green algae and bacteria together contribute to climate protection
Jena research team has found a bacterium that forms a team with a green alga that supports each other's growth
Wild-type strains of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in liquid culture.
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
· Life
Special poison helps to compete with bacteria on mucous membranes
Candida albicans toxin plays a special role in the colonization of the digestive tract
Candida albicans in the yeast and hyphae form on human epithelial cells.
Image: Leibniz-HKI
· Life
The laborious path of a fungal toxin
New insights into the release of Candidalysin promise progress in the treatment of Candida albicans infections
The fungus Candida albicans (blue colouring) invades a human epithelial cell and produces the toxin Candidalysin (yellow colouring).
Image: Selene Mogavero / Leibniz-HKI
· Life
Interaction between metabolic health and healthy aging supported
Jena research team shows how the reduced activity of an enzyme can contribute to extending lifespan
Dr Holger Bierhoff from the University of Jena is one of the authors of the study.
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
· Life
Honour for Jena microbiologist
Prof. Dr Kirsten Küsel elected as a new Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
Prof. Dr Kirsten Küsel.
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
· Life
Fibre against pounds
Resistant starch supports weight loss
Gianni Panagiotou with a graphic showing the composition of the patient's microbiome in the study.
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
All short news