We broadly study the crosstalk between immune system and commensal microbiota across evolutionary and ontogenetic time scales. In particular, we study how species-specific immune adaptations lead to the selection of specific commensal microbes.

We study functionally how immune aging impacts age-dependent microbiome dysfunction and vice versa how microbiota dynamically impact host immune function and health. We adopt and develop a diversity of methodologies and approaches, ranging from numerical simulations, bioinformatics, genome engineering/editing, computational immunology, population genetics, molecular biology, genomics, as well as wet lab work. Once a year, we conduct field work in Zimbabwe, which hosts the natural habitat of our main model system, the naturally short-lived turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri).