Dr Bertram Daum

About me

I am a Associate Professor in the Living Systems Institute.

Follow me on Twitter: @DaumLaboratory

Visit our lab's website: daumlab.exeter.ac.uk

Archaea

Archaea are ubiquitous microorganisms that are the ancestors of all eukaryotic life and inhabit diverse environments ranging from the most extreme to the human body. Archaea that are part of the human microbiome are increasingly recognised as key health factors in metabolic conditions such as obesity. Moreover, protein complexes derived from extremophilic archaea are ultra-stable and highly resilient to extreme conditions such as heat, pH and salt and are thus of great interest for bio- and nanotechnology. My lab employs state-of-the-art single particle electron cryo-microscopy and cryo-tomography to investigate the structure and function of archaeal surface proteins. These include S-layers, which form highly stable cage-like proteinaceous cell walls and the archaellum, a filamentous molecular machine used for rotary propulsion, surface adherence, biofilm formation and cell-cell communication. Our work will provide detailed information about how archaea move through and interact with their (microbiomal) environment and inform new approaches to exploit s-layers and the archaellum machinery in nanotechnology and drug delivery.

Microsporidia

Almost all animal species can be infected by intracellular eukaryotic parasites called microsporidia. These organisms are important pathogens in humans, particularly affecting individuals with compromised immune systems, such as those with AIDS, transplant recipients, malnourished children, and the elderly. In such cases, microsporidia can spread throughout the body, causing symptoms like diarrhea, weight loss, hepatitis, kidney issues, and even brain infections that may lead to seizures.

Microsporidia also affect (farmed) animals, including fish, honeybees, and invertebrates, posing risks to food security and the economic income of farmers. My lab explores the molecular mechanisms that enable microsporidia to spread through the environment and infect new hosts within seconds. This work will inspire new treatment options for infectious diseases caused by microsporidia and other parasites.  

Group members

Dr Risat Haque (Postdoc)

Jia Yu Ho (PhD student)

Sreehari Gopinathan (PhD student)

Mat McLaren (associated Experimental Officer)

Equipment

Our lab is home to cultivation equipment for thermophiles, a cryoEM sample preparation facility, a cryo-capable 120 kV FEI T12 electron microscope for sample screening and a cutting-edge GPU computer cluster for image processing. For high resolution imaging, we share a 200 kV Talos Arctica electron microscope with the University of Bristol.

Qualifications

2014: Dr phil. nat. in Biology, University of Frankfurt, Germany

2008: MsSc in Biology, University of Kassel, Germany

Career

2024 - present: Associate Professor at the Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, UK

2018 - present: Senior Research Fellow at the Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, UK

2017 – 2018: Research Fellow at the Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, UK

2014 – 2017: Postdoctoral researcher at the Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany

2008 – 2014: PhD research at the Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany

Awards 

in 2014, I received the Otto Hahn Medal from the Max-Planck-Society for outstanding junior scientists.

In 2014, I received the Young Investigator’s Prize from the Heinz-Bethge Foundation for Electron Microscopy. The award recognises extraordinary contributions to the field of cryoEM.