Ass.-Prof. Dr. Michael Zumstein

  

 

 

 

 

Assistant Professor for Biotransformation

☎ +43 1 4277 53372

✉ michael.zumstein@univie.ac.at

⚲ Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2 (UZA II), Room 2C477, 1090 Vienna

Michael Zumstein’s group investigates the biotransformation and biodegradation of anthropogenic organic chemicals in natural and engineered environments. The group combines techniques from environmental analytical chemistry and molecular biology to obtain a fundamental understanding of the activity, specificity, and identity of enzymes involved in these processes.

Regarding classes of chemicals, the current research focus is on polymers that are important for home and personal care, as well as on biomolecules (and derivatives thereof) that are promising alternatives to conventional pharmaceuticals and pesticides. Michael has received an Ambizione Fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) to investigate the biotransformation of peptide-based antibiotics in wastewater systems. He leads a research cooperation between the University of Vienna and BASF SE on the biodegradation of water-soluble polymers. The process-level insights obtained through the group’s research inform the development of biodegradable chemicals.

Links

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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 Michael Zumstein's teaching activities at the University of Vienna, visit u:find.

Projects

If all microbial life disappeared from Earth, our world would change dramatically. Microorganisms are essential for nutrient recycling, decomposing...
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Water-soluble polymers (WSPs) are used in numerous applications, including home and personal care products. After their use, WSPs are often released...
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The input of anthropogenic chemicals into environmental systems is a major concern. For example, the presence of antibiotics in wastewater and...
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Biopesticides are promising alternatives to synthetic pesticides – among other reasons also because they are expected to be biodegraded and thus of...
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 Group Members

 Publications

Showing entries 7 - 12 out of 12
Wohlleben, W., Rückel, M., Meyer, L., Pfohl, P., Battagliarin, G., Hüffer, T., Zumstein, M., & Hofmann, T. (2023). Fragmentation and Mineralization of a Compostable Aromatic–Aliphatic Polyester during Industrial Composting. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 10(8), 698 - 704. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00394
Castan, S., Sherman, A., Peng, R., Zumstein, M. T., Wanek, W., Hüffer, T., & Hofmann, T. (2023). Uptake, Metabolism, and Accumulation of Tire Wear Particle-Derived Compounds in Lettuce. Environmental Science & Technology, 57(1), 168-178. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c05660
Pfohl, P., Bahl, D., Rückel, M., Wagner, M., Meyer, L., Bolduan, P., Battagliarin, G., Hüffer, T., Zumstein, M., Hofmann, T., & Wohlleben, W. (2022). Effect of Polymer Properties on the Biodegradation of Polyurethane Microplastics. Environmental Science & Technology, 56(23), 16873-16884. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c05602
Zumstein, M., Battagliarin, G., Kuenkel, A., & Sander, M. (2022). Environmental Biodegradation of Water-Soluble Polymers: Key Considerations and Ways Forward. Accounts of Chemical Research, 55(16), 2163-2167. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.2c00232
Rich, S. L., Zumstein, M. T., & Helbling, D. E. (2022). Identifying Functional Groups that Determine Rates of Micropollutant Biotransformations Performed by Wastewater Microbial Communities. Environmental Science & Technology, 56(2), 984-994. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c06429
Zumstein, M., & Fenner, K. (2021). Towards more Sustainable Peptide- based Antibiotics: Stable in Human Blood, Enzymatically Hydrolyzed in Wastewater? Chimia, 75(4), 267-271. https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2021.267