PD Dr. Kerstin Hoef-Emden

Focus of my Research

Cryptophytes are microscopic flagellated algae containing four genomes of different evolutionary origin in their cells. My research focuses on the molecular phylogeny, systematics, classification and DNA taxonomy of the cryptophytes and on the evolutionary history of their phenotypic and molecular characters. In my work I combine classical (differential interference contrast light microscopy, spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy) with molecular methods. A more detailed description of my research interests can be found here.

Teaching Material

• General information (in German): Anleitung zur Erstellung einer Präsentation, Anleitung zur Erstellung eines Protokolls
• Master students

Teaching Experience

Courses (since 2002) and lectures (since 2009) at the Botanical Institute of the University of Cologne

Basic courses for undergraduate and teacher students:

• Participation in course and lecture series “Morphology, Evolution und Systematics of Plants”: anatomy of plants, and introduction to ferns and angiosperms.

Advanced courses for undergraduate and teacher students:

(predominantly in cooperation with the work group Melkonian)

• Molecular evolution, phylogeny and systematics of algae
• Biodiversity and evolution of “lower plants”
• DNA barcoding (as part of the module “Biotechnology and Environmental Technology of Algae”)
• Molecular phylogenetic methods (as part of the course series “Bioinformatics” in cooperation with the work groups Wiehe and Korsching at the Institute of Genetics)

Summer term 2011: Substitute professorship “Ecoloy of Plants”

• Course, lectures and excursions for undergraduate and teacher students: “Ecoloy of Plants”

Winter term 2011/12: Lectures and course for master students

• Lectures, course and seminar “Computer Applications in the Biosciencess”

06 August 2009

Tyge Christensen Prize from the International Phycological Society in recognition of the best algal paper published in Phycologia during 2007:
"Revision of the genus Cryptomonas (Cryptophyceae) II: incongruences between the classical morphospecies concept and molecular phylogeny in smaller pyrenoid-less cells". Phycologia 46: 402-428