Univ.-Prof. Dr. Holger Daims
Deputy Head of the Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science
Deputy Head of the Division of Microbial Ecology
☎ +43 1 4277 91204
✉ holger.daims@univie.ac.at
Our research focuses on microorganisms driving the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle, with particular emphasis on key players in the nitrification process: nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox). Employing various molecular, 'omics', and microbial physiology techniques, we identify new nitrifying microbes and investigate the metabolism, ecophysiology, and evolution of these elusive organisms. Our objective is to gain a fundamental biological understanding of nitrification in natural and engineered ecosystems, which could also improve management practices in agriculture and wastewater treatment, and mitigate greenhouse gas (nitrous oxide) emissions.
Another area of interest are microbe-microbe interactions within complex microbiomes, such as biofilms in engineered and natural environments. Integrating 'omics', fluorescence and chemical imaging, and computational approaches, we pinpoint microbial partners and uncover their in situ interactions. Our aim is to reveal core principles of microbial interactions that govern the composition, spatial structuring, and functional adaptability of microbial communities.
Research Topics
Join the Team
If you are interested in joining our team, explore our open positions and learn more about available PhD and postdoc stipends here.
Teaching
To view Holger Daims' teaching activities at the University of Vienna, visit u:find.
Group Members
Publications
Daims, H., Lebedeva, E. V.
, Pjevac, P., Han, P., Herbold, C., Albertsen, M., Jehmlich, N., Palatinszky, M., Vierheilig, J., Bulaev, A., Kirkegaard, R. H., Bergen, M. V.
, Rattei, T., Bendinger, B., Nielsen, P. H.
, & Wagner, M. (2015).
Complete nitrification by Nitrospira bacteria.
Nature,
528(7583), 504–509.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16461
Koch, H., Lücker, S., Albertsen, M.
, Kitzinger, K., Herbold, C., Spieck, E., Nielsen, P. H.
, Wagner, M., & Daims, H. (2015).
Expanded metabolic versatility of ubiquitous nitrite-oxidizing bacteria from the genus Nitrospira.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS),
112(36), 11371-11376.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1506533112
Palatinszky, M., Herbold, C., Jehmlich, N., Pogoda, M., Han, P., von Bergen, M., Lagkouvardos, I., Karst, S. M., Galushko, A., Koch, H.
, Berry, D., Daims, H., & Wagner, M. (2015).
Cyanate as an energy source for nitrifiers.
Nature,
524(7563), 105–108.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14856
Schaffner, I., Hofbauer, S., Krutzler, M., Pirker, K. F., Bellei, M., Stadlmayr, G.
, Mlynek, G., Djinovic-Carugo, K., Battistuzzi, G., Furtmueller, P. G.
, Daims, H., & Obinger, C. (2015).
Dimeric chlorite dismutase from the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp PCC7425.
Molecular Microbiology,
96(5), 1053-1068.
https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.12989
Hofbauer, S., Hagmüller, A., Schaffner, I.
, Mlynek, G., Krutzler, M., Stadlmayr, G., Pirker, K. F., Obinger, C.
, Daims, H., Djinovic-Carugo, K., & Furtmueller, P. G. (2015).
Structure and heme-binding properties of HemQ (chlorite dismutase-like protein) from Listeria monocytogenes.
Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics,
574, 36-48.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2015.01.010
Gruber-Dorninger, C., Pester, M.
, Kitzinger, K., Savio, D. F.
, Loy, A., Rattei, T., Wagner, M., & Daims, H. (2015).
Functionally relevant diversity of closely related Nitrospira in activated sludge.
The ISME Journal: multidisciplinary journal of microbial ecology,
9, 643-655.
https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2014.156
