Staff members of the Nucleic Acids Core Facility (NACF) at JGU are dedicated in providing far-reaching services concerning the isolation and sequence analysis of nucleic acids. In particular, we are specialized in isolating DNA and RNA from various plant and animal species and their subsequent quality control using different methods. Our long-standing knowledge in DNA sequencing was already shown by contributing to the European yeast genome project (1991 – 1994), as well as the German Human Genome Project (DHGP, from 1995 - 2000). Initially, we were providing Sanger sequencing service for JGU members starting in 1991 using instruments from Applied Biosystems before offering NGS sequencing service with Illumina´s HiSeq2500 from 2011 - 2021.

Since 2021, we are concentrating on Oxford Nanopore´s long read sequencing technology. For this purpose, we acquired the long read sequencing instruments ONT GridION in 2021 as well as an ONT P2 Solo in 2023. With the help of these instruments, we offer state-of-the art sequencing service for long reads in all fields of biology for all members of JGU. In addition to the wet lab analyses of nucleic acids including sequencing, we are currently supporting our partners in the bioinformatic analysis of the large amount of data generated by NGS and TGS. This includes aid in data curation and analysis, development of novel analysis workflows as well as common IT support.

As a Core Facility, we have and had users and collaborators in different faculties of JGU, i.e. FB 02 (Sport), several from FB 04 (Medicine), FB 08 (Geography, Informatics), several from FB 09 (Chemistry, Pharmacy), and of course many working groups from FB 10 (Biology) as well as the IBWF and the IMB.

Positions held

Since 2020  
Head of the Nucleic Acid Core Facility (NACF), Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany

Education

1994  
PhD in Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany

1989  
Diploma in Biology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany