Prof. Dr. Michael ZUMSTEIN
University of Vienna
Assistant Professor for Biotransformation
Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, UZA II
Room 2C477
A-1090 Vienna
AustriaPhone: +43-1-4277-53372
Research interests:
Michael Zumstein’s group studies the biotransformation and biodegradation of anthropogenic chemicals in natural and engineered environments. Chemicals of particular interest include peptide-based antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides, as well as plastics and water-soluble polymers. The focus of this research lies on elucidating biotransformation pathways and on characterizing enzymes that catalyze these processes in chemical-receiving environments.
Projects:
- Exploring extracellular hydrolases from wastewater and soil microbial communities to mitigate environmental pollution (2020-2024, Ambizione Fellowship by the Swiss National Science Foundation)
- Biotransformation and biodegradation of water-soluble polymers in engineered and natural aquatic environments (2021-2025, research collaboration funded by BASF SE)
CV:
since 2022 Assistant Professor, University of Vienna
2021 – 2022 Junior Group Leader, University of Vienna
2019 – 2020 Postdoc and SNSF Ambizione Fellow, Eawag
2018 – 2019 Postdoc, Cornell University
2017 Ph.D. environmental chemistry, ETH Zurich
2013 M.Sc. biochemistry ETH Zurich
2011 Erasmus semester, Imperial College London
2011 B.Sc. biology, ETH Zurich
