PhD Sonja Aits
Biological and related sciences , cell biology, molecular biology, biomedicine
Biological and related sciences
Molecular phytopathology
Fungal plant pathogens
Signal perception and signal transmission
Morphological differentiation
Virulence determinants
Effectors
Comparative genome analysis
Host specificity
Leibniz Prize from the German Research Foundation
Teaching prize from the Department of Biology at LMU Munich
Dannie Heineman Prize awarded by the Göttingen Academy of Sciences
Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Bavarian Order of Maximilian for Science and Art
English, French, German
Gillissen, B. et al.: A two-component regulatory system for self/non-self recognition in Ustilago maydis. In: Cell 68, 1992. S. 647-657.
Bölker, M., Urban, M., Kahmann, R.: The a mating type locus of Ustilago maydis specifies cell signaling components. In: Cell 68, 1992. S. 441-450.
Kämper, J. et al.: Multiallelic recognition: nonself-dependent dimerization of the bE and bW homeodomain proteins in Ustilago maydis. In: Cell 81, 1995. S. 73-83.
Hartmann, H.A., Kahmann, R., Bölker, M.: The pheromone response factor coordinates filamentous growth and pathogenicity in Ustilago maydis. In: Embo J. 15, 1996. S. 1632-1641.
Wösten, H.A. et al.: A novel class of small amphipathic peptides affect aerial hyphal growth and surface hydrophobicity in Ustilago maydis. In: Embo J. 15, 1996. S. 4274-4281.
Brachmann, A. et al.: An unusual MAP kinase is required for efficient penetration of the plant surface by Ustilago maydis. In: Embo J. 22, 2003. S. 2199-2210.
Schirawski, J. et al.: Endoplasmic reticulum glucosidase II is required for pathogenicity of Ustilago maydis. In: Plant Cell 17, 2005. S. 3532-3543.
Kämper, J. et al.: Insights from the genome of the biotrophic fungal plant pathogen Ustilago maydis. In: Nature 444, 2006. S. 97-101.
Molina, L., Kahmann, R.: An Ustilago maydis gene involved in H2O2 detoxification is required for virulence. In: Plant Cell 19, 2007. S. 2293-2309.
Doehlemann, G. et al.: Pep1, a secreted effector protein of Ustilago maydis, is required for successful invasion of plant cells. In: PLoS Pathog. 5(2), 2009. e1000290. Epub 2009 Feb 6. PMID: 19197359.
The role of new secreted effectors from Ustilago maydis in establishing biotrophic interaction with corn plants
Identification of new virulence factors of smut fungi using comparative genome analyses
Identification of regulators for effector genes that convey expression during biotrophic development
Identification of genes for host specificity of smut fungi using comparative genome analyses
Perception of leaf surfaces by smut fungi and transmission of signals
Identification of virulence targets of conserved MAP kinase using chemical genetics and phosphoproteomics
Member of the German Research Foundation (DFG) Senate
Member of the DFG Joint Committee
Member of the DFG Senate Committee on Strategic Planning
Member of the advisory board of the Otto Warburg Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology, Rehovot, Israel
Member of the Centre for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP) advisory board in Tübingen, Germany
Member of the advisory board of the Hans Knoell Institute in Jena, Germany
Member of the international expert commission for the Elite Network of Bavaria, Germany
Member of the advisory board of the Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences
Member of the Minerva Weizmann Committee
Chair of the European Research Council (ERC) LS9b Panel, "Applied Life Sciences and Biotechnology" (2009/2011/2013)
Member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation
Member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences (corresponding member since 2001)
Member of the Academia Europea
Member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW)
Member of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
You can only see the contact information of the academics in the database if you are a registered user of AcademiaNet.
Please register here
Please download the brochure "No more excuses" and read more about female experts in Europe, and about AcademiaNet.
Biological and related sciences , cell biology, molecular biology, biomedicine
Biological and related sciences , Evolutionary biology, Evolutionary genetics
Biological and related sciences , Health, Cell Biology, Cellular signaling, Cancer biology, Cancer therapy
Biological and related sciences , Physical sciences, Environmental virology, Molecular and structural biology, biochemistry
The accolade has been called the scientist equivalent of the lifetime achievement Oscar.