Welcome to the Plant Evolution and Biodiversity Group

The central topics of our research are the genetic causes and consequences of parasitism in plants. We aim to understand the biology and ecology of plants that abandon the autotrophic lifestyle on both the organismal and molecular level. Our emphasis lies on elucidating the molecular reconfigurations and functional adaptations associated with parasitism, the genetics underpinning trophic specialization and aggressive parasitism, and the coevolution of parasitic plants with their hosts. We also have an active interest in the genetics of mutational processes, the evolution of early land plants, as well as the development of high-throughput DNA barcodes for the identification of plant germplasm.

The Plant Evolution and Biodiversity Group has moved to the University of Münster. The new homepage at the University of Münster, including contact details, will be online shortly.

From May 2024 onwards, Professor Wicke is not involved in any teaching activities at Humboldt-University any longer.