français | english		EPFL > people@EPFL > Melanie Blokesch login

Tenure Track Assistant Professor SV GHI UPBLO Tenure Track Assistant Professor SV SV-SSV SSV-ENS

Melanie Blokesch Prof. Blokesch Group Tenure-Track Assistant Professor nationality: German web site: http://blokesch-lab.epfl.ch/ office(s): SV3529 phone(s): [+41 21 69] 30653,37232 MISSION The focus of my research is on how bacteria evolve in the environment to become human pathogens. This is exemplified on Vibrio cholerae as a model organism. The main topics are: 1) Natural competence / transformation of Vibrio cholerae. 2) How is horizontal gene transfer linked to an environmental niche. 3) Acquisition of pathogenic traits. 4) Benefits of pathogenicity in environmental reservoirs. Education Doctor rerum naturalium (Dr. rer. nat.), Microbiology, Group of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. August Boeck, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany, 2004 Diplom Biologin Univ. (Dipl. Biol.), Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany, 2000 Professional course Postdoctoral Fellow, Prof. Dr. Gary K. Schoolnik, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine and Department of Microbiology & Immunology; Stanford University, CA, USA, 2005-2009 Graduate Student, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. August Böck, Department Biology I, Microbiology; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany, 2000-2004 Diplom Student, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany, 1995-2000 FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS 2007-2008 Dean's Fellowship Award, Stanford University School of Medicine 2005-2007 Research Fellowship, German Research Foundation (DFG) 2005 Prize for Junior Scientists, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina 2005 Thesis Award, Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM) 2004 Student Travel Grant, ASM 104th General Meeting in New Orleans, USA INVITED ARTICLES M. Blokesch (2006) [NiFe]-Hydrogenasen von Escherichia coli: Funktionen der am Metalleinbau beteiligten Proteine. BioSpektrum 1/06 p. 61 (article in German) M. Blokesch and A. Böck (2002) Mechanismen der Metallzentrums-Synthese: Die Reifung Nickel-abhängiger Enzyme. BioSpektrum 6/02 p. 699-703 (article in German) MAIN PUBLICATIONS Journal Papers 2012 Chitin colonization, chitin degradation and chitin-induced natural competence of Vibrio cholerae are subject to catabolite repression M. Blokesch Environmental Microbiology (2012) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2011 Prediction of the spatial evolution and effects of control measures for the unfolding Haiti cholera outbreak E. Bertuzzo, L. Mari, L. Righetto, M. Gatto, R. Casagrandi, M. Blokesch, I. Rodriguez-Iturbe and A. Rinaldo Geophysical Research Letters, 38, L06403 (2011) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] A transmission model of the 2010 cholera epidemic in haiti A. Rinaldo, M. Blokesch, E. Bertuzzo, L. Mari, L. Righetto, M. Murray, M. Gatto, R. Casagrandi and I. Rodriguez-Iturbe Annals of internal medicine, 155(6), 403-4 (2011) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] Quorum Sensing Contributes to Natural Transformation of Vibrio cholerae in a Species-Specific Manner G. Suckow, P. Seitz and M. Blokesch Journal of Bacteriology, 193(18), 4914-4924 (2011) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2010 Genetic manipulation of Vibrio cholerae by combining natural transformation with FLP recombination O. De Souza Silva and M. Blokesch Plasmid, 64(3), 186-195 (2010) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] Natural transformation of Vibrio cholerae as a tool - Optimizing the procedure R.L. Marvig and M. Blokesch BMC Microbiology, 10(1), 155 (2010) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2008 The extracellular nuclease Dns and its role in natural transformation of Vibrio cholerae M. Blokesch and G.K. Schoolnik Journal of Bacteriology, 190(21), 7232-40 (2008) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2007 Serogroup conversion of Vibrio cholerae in aquatic reservoirs M. Blokesch and G.K. Schoolnik PLoS pathogens, 3(6), e81 (2007) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2006 Properties of the [NiFe]-hydrogenase maturation protein HypD M. Blokesch and A. Böck FEBS letters, 580(17), 4065-8 (2006) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2005 The biosynthetic routes for carbon monoxide and cyanide in the Ni-Fe active site of hydrogenases are different W. Roseboom, M. Blokesch, A. Böck and S.P.J. Albracht FEBS letters, 579(2), 469-72 (2005) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] Chitin induces natural competence in Vibrio cholerae K.L. Meibom, M. Blokesch, N.A. Dolganov, C.-Y. Wu and G.K. Schoolnik Science, 310(5755), 1824-7 (2005) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2004 HybF, a zinc-containing protein involved in NiFe hydrogenase maturation M. Blokesch, M. Rohrmoser, S. Rode and A. Böck Journal of bacteriology, 186(9), 2603-11 (2004) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] Analysis of the transcarbamoylation-dehydration reaction catalyzed by the hydrogenase maturation proteins HypF and HypE M. Blokesch, A. Paschos, A. Bauer, S. Reissmann, N. Drapal and A. Böck European journal of biochemistry / FEBS, 271(16), 3428-36 (2004) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] The complex between hydrogenase-maturation proteins HypC and HypD is an intermediate in the supply of cyanide to the active site iron of [NiFe]-hydrogenases M. Blokesch, S.P.J. Albracht, B.F. Matzanke, N.M. Drapal, A. Jacobi and A. Böck Journal of molecular biology, 344(1), 155-67 (2004) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2002 Network of hydrogenase maturation in Escherichia coli: role of accessory proteins HypA and HybF M. Hube, M. Blokesch and A. Böck Journal of bacteriology, 184(14), 3879-85 (2002) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] Maturation of [NiFe]-hydrogenases in Escherichia coli: the HypC cycle M. Blokesch and A. Böck Journal of molecular biology, 324(2), 287-96 (2002) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2001 Interplay between the specific chaperone-like proteins HybG and HypC in maturation of hydrogenases 1, 2, and 3 from Escherichia coli. M. Blokesch, A. Magalon and A. Böck Journal of bacteriology, 183(9), 2817-22 (2001) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] Fidelity of metal insertion into hydrogenases. A. Magalon, M. Blokesch, E. Zehelein and A. Böck FEBS letters, 499(1-2), 73-6 (2001) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] Reviews 2006 Maturation of hydrogenases A. Böck, P.W. King, M. Blokesch and M.C. Posewitz Advances in microbial physiology, 51, 1-71 (2006) [ detailed record ] [ full text ] 2002 Metal insertion into NiFe-hydrogenases M. Blokesch, A. Paschos, E. Theodoratou, A. Bauer, M. Hube, S. Huth and A. Böck Biochemical Society transactions, 30(4), 674-80 (2002) [ detailed record ] [ full text ]

Teaching Life Sciences and Technologies Infection biology [en] (SMTE SSV SIN) Practical - Blokesch & Manley Lab [en] Phd programs Molecular Life Sciences Biotechnology and Bioengineering Phd Students Lo Scrudato Mirella Seitz Patrick Martin Postdoc position Position for a postdoctoral fellow available: highly motivated candidates (who are also willing to share their knowledge with more junior lab members) and are driven by scientific curiosity are encouraged to contact Melanie Blokesch (melanie.blokesch@epfl.ch). Background knowledge in epifluorescence microscopy & CLSM as well as image analysis is required. Previous work with bacteria is a plus. Master students welcome Master students interested in Molecular Microbiology are welcome to join the lab for their Master thesis. Project description on lab homepage. Please send your inquiry directly to melanie.blokesch@epfl.ch