CEOS Chemistry

Biography:

From 1997 to 2018, Wilhelm Boland headed the Department of Bioorganic Chemistry and, together with his team, studied plant and insect defense mechanisms and their interactions at different levels. One focus of his research was to examine defense secretions in leaf beetles to obtain information on the biosynthesis, regulation and evolution of these defense mechanisms. He focused on analyzing the molecular basis for the uptake of plant precursors (transporters) and the conversion of plant precursors into compounds required by the insects for communication and defense. For example, he found that the biosynthetic potential of insects is likely to be sustainably enhanced by symbiotic gut bacteria or endosymbionts. Other research focused on the biosynthesis of substances that induce plant defense and the detoxification of plant toxins, with particular attention to any involvement of microorganisms.

Research Interest:

Plant Biotechnology, PCR,Ecology, Microbiology,Synthesis, Journalism,Enzymes, Plant Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Plant Physiology.