PD Dr. Bert Engelen ...

... wurde 1963 in Duisburg geboren und ist seit 2001 Wissenschaftlicher Assistent in der Arbeitsgruppe Paläomikrobiologie des Instituts für Chemie und Biologie des Meeres (ICBM) an der Universität Oldenburg.

Er studierte in Braunschweig Biologie mit den Schwerpunkten Mikrobiologie, Biochemie und Siedlungswasserwirtschaft. Im Jahr 1998 promovierte er an der Biologischen Bundesanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft und arbeitete anschließend als Postdoc bei der Gesellschaft für Biotechnologische Forschung in einem dreijährigen Forschungsprojekt.

Neben seiner Lehrtätigkeit an der Universität liegen seine Forschungsschwerpunkte in der Analyse von mikrobiellen Gemeinschaften mariner Sedimente, aber auch anderer Standorte wie z.B. des Bodens, der Wassersäule sowie in Kohle- Gas- und Erdöllagerstätten.
Bert Engelen
   
... was born in 1963 in Duisburg, Germany. Since 2001, he is working as a research associate in the "Paleomicrobiology group" at the "Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment" (ICBM) at the University of Oldenburg.

He has studied biology in Braunschweig, Germany with microbiology, biochemistry and sanitary environmental engineering as main subjects. He made his Phd in 1998 at the "Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry" and continued working for three years as a postdoc at the "Federal Research Centre for Biotechnology" (GBF).

Besides his teaching duties at the university, his main research interest is the analysis of microbial communities in marine sediments, but also in other habitats such as soil, the water column, or coal-, gas-, and oil deposits.
Bert Engelen
   
Scientific education and positions
2016

Habilitation: "Prokaryotes and viruses in the marine subsurface: From coastal sediments to the deep-subseafloor biosphere", Venia legendi for Microbiology, University of Oldenburg, Germany
2001 - present

Research Associate, Paleomicrobiology group, Inst. for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, Germany
1998 - 2001


Postdoctoral fellow, EU-Project: Marine Bacterial Genes and Isolates as Sources for Novel Biotechnological Products (MARGENES), Fed. Res. Centre for Biotechnology (GBF), Braunschweig, Germany
1993 - 1997


PhD-thesis: Development and application of methods to differentiate function and structure of bacterial populations in soil, Fed. Biol. Res. Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Braunschweig, Germany
1992 - 1993

Teaching Biology, Microbiology and Waste water treatment, Grone Bildungszentrum, Salzwedel, Germany
1992


Masters thesis (Diplom): Development and application of a method to characterize bacterial strains from oilfields by means of volatile products of their energy metabolism, University of Braunschweig, Germany
1985 - 1991

University education in General Biology, Main subjects: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Sanitary environmental engineering, University of Braunschweig, Germany
 
Research interests
Molecular microbial ecology, sediment microbiology, anaerobic metabolism, subsurface of tidal flats, deep biosphere research, bacteriophages in deep sediments
 
Applied methods
Microbial diversity assesement via PCR-DGGE of 16S rRNA (genes) and key genes indicative for metabolic processes, quantification of microorganisms and physiological groups by qPCR and CARD-FISH, molecular guided cultivation of anaerobes, activity measurements (exoenzymes, sulfate reduction rates), stable-isotope-probing
 
Projects
DFG Collaborative Research Centre (Transregio-SFB 51) Roseobacter PhD Research Training Group "The ecology of molecules" (EcoMol) Collaborative Research Project "Assessment of ground- and porewater-derived nutrient fluxes into the German North Sea
    – Is there a ‘Barrier Island Mass Effect " (BIME)?
Deep sea drilling projects (ODP/IODP) Meteor projects DFG Research group BioGeoChemistry of tidal flats 2001-2011 Other projects
 
Research cruises
Mai - Jun 2016 Functional diversity of bacterial communities and the geometabolome in the central and north Pacific. (BacGeoPac) FS "SONNE" Expedition SO248
Mar - Apr 2012 The Roseobacter clade and the DOM composition in the Drake Passage and the Antarctic Peninsula region of the Southern Ocean. FS "Polarstern" Expedition ANT28/4
Apr - Jun 2008 Process studies in the eastern South Atlantic. RV "Meteor" Leg M76/1
Apr - Jun 2007 Biogeochemistry and microbiology of the Black Sea and the regional paleo climate. RV "Meteor" Leg M72/5
Jun - Aug 2004
Juan De Fuca Hydrogeology. RV "JOIDES Resolution" IODP Exp. 301
Nov - Dec 2001
 
Characterization of bacteria in sapropels, in overlaying sediments and water layers by a multidisciplinary approach. RV "Meteor" Leg M51/3
Oct 2001
 
Microbial diversity at the chemocline of the Gotland deep. RV "Professor Albrecht Penck", Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde, Germany
Sep 1998
 
Microbial diversity in the water column of the baltic sea. RV "Aranda", Finnish Institute of Marine Research, Helsinki, Finland
Publications
Profile on Google Scholar

2018
Castillo D, Vandieken V, Engelen B, Engelhardt T, Middelboe M (2018) Draft genome sequences of six Vibrio diazotrophicus strains isolated from deep subsurface sediments of the Baltic Sea. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00081-18

Vandieken V, Marshall IPG, Niemann H, Engelen B, Cypionka H (2018) Labilibaculum manganireducens gen. nov., sp. nov. and Labilibaculum filiforme sp. nov., novel Bacteroidetes isolated from subsurface sediments of the Baltic Sea. Front Microbiol 8:2614, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.02614

2017
Beck M, Reckhardt A, Amelsberg J, Bartholomä A, Brumsack H-J, Cypionka H, Dittmar T, Engelen B, Greskowiak J, Hillebrand H, Holtappels M, Neuholz R, Köster J, Kuypers MMM, Massmann G, Meier D, Niggemann J, Paffrath R, Pahnke K, Rovo S, Striebel M, Vandieken V, Wehrmann A, Zielinski O (2017) The drivers of biogeochemistry in beach ecosystems: A cross-shore transect from the dunes to the low water line. Mar Chem, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2017.01.001

Harig T, Schlawis C, Ziesche L, Pohlner M, Engelen B, Schulz S (2017) Nitrogen-containing volatiles from marine Salinispora pacifica and Roseobacter-group bacteria. J Nat Prod ASAP, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.7b00789

Pohlner M, Degenhardt J, von Hoyningen-Huene AJE, Wemheuer B, Erlmann N, Schnetger B, Badewien TH, Engelen B (2017) The biogeographical distribution of benthic Roseobacter group members along a Pacific transect is structured by nutrient availability within the sediments and primary production in different oceanic provinces. Front Microbiol 8:2550, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.02550

Pohlner M, Marshall I, Schreiber L, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2017) Draft genome sequence of Pseudoruegeria sp. SK021, a representative of the marine Roseobacter group, isolated from North Sea sediment. Genome Announc 5:e00541-17, https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00541-17

Vandieken V, Niemann H, Engelen B, Cypionka H (2017) Marinisporobacter balticus gen. nov., sp. nov., Desulfosporosinus nitroreducens sp. nov. and Desulfosporosinus fructosivorans sp. nov., new spore-forming bacteria isolated from subsurface sediments of the Baltic Sea. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol, 67:1887-1893, https://doi.org/10.1099/ijsem.0.001883

Wöhlbrand L, Feenders C, Nachbaur J, Freund H, Engelen B, Wilkes H, Brumsack H, Rabus R (2017) Impact of extraction methods on the detectable protein complement of metaproteomic analyses of marine sediments. Proteomics 17:1700241 https://doi.org/10.1002/pmic.201700241

2016
Kanukollu S, Wemheuer B, Herber J, Billerbeck S, Lucas J, Daniel R, Simon M, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2016) Distinct compositions of free-living, particle-associated and benthic communities of the Roseobacter group in the North Sea. FEMS Microbiol Ecol, 92:(1), https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiv145

Kanukollu S, Voget S, Pohlner M, Vandieken V, Petersen J, Kyrpides NC, Woyke T, Shapiro N, Göker M, Klenk H-P, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2016). Genome sequence of Shimia str. SK013, a representative of the Roseobacter group isolated from marine sediment. SIGS,11:1-10, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-016-0143-0

Satpathy P, Steinigeweg S, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2016) Different substrates and starter inocula govern microbial community structures in biogas reactors. Environ Technol 37:11, p. 1441-1450, https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2015.1118559

2015
Engelen B (2015) Prokaryotes and viruses in the marine subsurface: From coastal sediments to the deep-subseafloor biosphere, Habilitation, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg

Fichtel K, Logemann J, Fichtel J, Rullkötter J, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2015) Temperature and pressure adaptation of a sulfate reducer from the deep subsurface. Front Microbiol, 6:1078, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2015.01078

Kieft TL, Onstott TC, Ahonen L, Aloisi V, Colwell FS, Engelen B, Fendrihan S, Gaidos E, Harms U, Head I, Kallmeyer J, Kiel Reese B, Lin L-H, Long PE, Moser DP, Mills H, Sar P, Schulze-Makuch D, Stan-Lotter H, Wagner D, Wang P-L, Westall F, Wilkins MJ (2015) Workshop to develop deep-life continental scientific drilling projects. Sci. Dril., 3, 1-11, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-19-43-2015

Micic V, Köster J, Kruge MA, Engelen B, Hofmann T (2015) Bacterial wax esters in recent fluvial sediments. Org. Geochem. 88-89:44-66, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2015.10.003

Soora M, Tomasch J, Wang H, Michael V, Petersen J, Engelen B, Wagner-Doebler I and Cypionka H (2015) Oxidative stress and starvation in Dinoroseobacter shibae: The role of extrachromosomal elements. Front Microbiol 6:233. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2015.00233

2014
Engelen B, Imachi H (2014) Cultivation of subseafloor prokaryotic life. In: Stein R, Blackman DK, Inagaki F, Larsen H-C (Eds.), Earth and life processes discovered from subseafloor environments: A decade of science achieved by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP), Elsevier: Developments in Marine Geology, vol. 7, chapt. 2.6, p. 197-215, ISSN 1572-5480, ISBN 9780444626172, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-62617-2.00008-6

Engelen B, Engelhardt T, Cypionka H (2014) Phagen in Sedimenten der marinen tiefen Biosphäre. Biospektrum 04.14:380-382 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12268-014-0451-0

Engelhardt T, Kallmeyer J, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2014) High virus-to-cell ratios indicate on-going production of viruses in deep subsurface sediments. ISME J 8:1503–1509, https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2013.245

2013
Engelhardt T, Sahlberg M, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2013) Biogeography of Rhizobium radiobacter and distribution of associated temperate phages in deep subseafloor sediments. ISME J 7:199-209 https://doi.org/110.1038/ismej.2012.92

Kraft B, Engelen B, Goldhammer T, Lin Y-S, Cypionka H, Könneke M (2012) Desulfofrigus spec. prevails in sulfate-reducing dilution cultures from sediments of the Benguela upwelling area. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 84:86-97 https://doi.org/10.1111/1574-6941.12039

2012
Engelen B, Dogs M, Kanukollu S, Cypionka H (2012) The metabolic potential and the distribution of the Roseobacter clade in marine sediments. In: Lucassen M, with contributions of the participants (Eds.), The Expedition of the Research Vessel "Polarstern" to the Antarctic in 2012 (ANT-XXVIII/4), Reports on Polar and Marine Research, AWI Bremerhaven, p. 55-57, http://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.40372, ISSN 1866-3192 https://epic.awi.de/31612/1/652-2012_Lucassen_ANT-28-4.pdf

Engelen B, Kleindienst S, Lever M, Siegert M (2012) Microbiology: Molecular-guided cultivation assays, distribution and quantification of microbial communities, community zonation, activity, and genomics based on molecular methods. In: Zabel M, Boetius A, Emeis K-C, Ferdelman TG, Spieß V (Eds.), PROSA: Process Studies in the Eastern South Atlantic, Cruise No. 76, April 12 - August 24, 2008, METEOR-Berichte, Universität Hamburg, 1-33 - 1-40, ISSN 2195-8475

Fichtel K, Mathes F, Könneke M, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2012) Isolation of sulfate-reducing bacteria from sediments above the deep-subseafloor aquifer. Front Microbio 3:65 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2012.00065

Graue J, Kleindienst S, Lueders T, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2012) Identifying fermenting bacteria in anoxic tidal-flat sediments by a combination of microcalorimetry and ribosome-based stable-isotope probing. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 81:78–87 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2011.01282.x

Graue J, Engelen B, Cypionka H (2012) Degradation of cyanobacterial biomass in anoxic tidal-flat sediments: a microcosm study of metabolic processes and community changes. ISME J 6:660-669 https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2011.120

Seidel M, Graue J, Engelen B, Köster J, Sass H, Rullkötter J (2012) Advection and diffusion determine vertical distribution of microbial communities in intertidal sediments as revealed by combined biogeochemical and molecular biological analysis. Org Geochem 52:114–129 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2012.08.015


2011
Beck M, Riedel T, Graue J, Köster J, Kowalski N, Wu CS, Wegener G , Lipsewers Y, Freund H, Böttcher ME, Brumsack H-J, Cypionka H, Rullkötter J, Engelen B (2011) Imprint of past and present environmental conditions on microbiology and biogeochemistry of coastal quaternary sediments. Biogeosciences 8, 55-68 https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-55-2011

Beckmann S, Lüders T, Krüger M, von Netzer F, Engelen B, Cypionka H (2011) Acetogens and acetoclastic methanosarcinales govern methane formation in abandoned coal mines. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 77:3749–3756 https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02818-10

Beckmann S, Krüger M, Engelen B, Gorbushina AA, Cypionka H (2011) Role of Bacteria, Archaea and Fungi involved in methane release in abandoned coal mines. Geomcrobiol J 28:347–358 https://doi.org/10.1080/01490451.2010.503258

Cypionka H, Engelen B (2011) Tracing the Migration of Bacteria from the Water Column into Subsurface Sediments. In: Seifert R, Boetius A, Bohrmann G, Bialas J, Borowski C (Eds.), Biogeochemistry, Microbiology, Marine Fluids, Gas Hydrates and Regional Palaeo-Climate of the Black Sea, Cruise No. 72, February 7 - June 4, 2007, METEOR-Berichte, Universität Hamburg, 12-1, 5-25 - 5-28, ISSN 0936-8957 https://doi.org/10.2312/cr_m72

Engelhardt T, Sahlberg M, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2011) Induction of prophages from deep-subseafloor bacteria. Environm Microbiol Rep 3:459-465 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-2229.2010.00232.x

Logemann J, Graue J, Köster J, Engelen B, Rullkötter J, Cypionka H (2011) A laboratory experiment of intact polar lipid degradation in sandy sediments. Biogeosciences 8:2547-2560 https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-2547-2011

2010
Sass H, Köpke B, Rütters H, Feuerlein T, Dröge S, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2010) Tateyamaria pelophila sp. nov. a facultatively anaerobic Alphaproteobacterium isolated from tidal-flat sediments, and emended descriptions of the genus Tateyamaria and of Tateyamaria omphalii. IJSEM 60:1770-1777

Steinsbu BO, Thorseth IH, Nakagawa S, Inagaki F, Lever MA, Engelen B, Ovreas L, Pedersen RB (2010) Archaeoglobus sulfaticallidus sp. nov., a novel thermophilic and facultatively lithoautotrophic sulfate-reducer isolated from black rust exposed to hot ridge flank crustal fluids. IJSEM 60:2745-2752

2009
Beck M, Köster J, Engelen B, Holstein JM, Gittel A, Könneke M, Riedel T, Wirtz K, Cypionka H, Rullkötter J, Brumsack H-J (2009) Deep pore water profiles reflect enhanced microbial activity towards tidal flat margins. Ocean Dynamics 59:371–384

Engelen B and Cypionka H (2009) The subsurface of tidal flats as a model for the deep biosphere. Ocean Dynamics 59:385–391

2008
Engelen B, Ziegelmüller K, Wolf L, Köpke B, Gittel A, Treude T, Nakagawa S, Inagaki F, Lever MA, Steinsbu BO, Cypionka H (2008) Fluids from the oceanic crust support microbial activities within the deep biosphere. Geomicrobiol J 25:56-66

Krüger M, Beckmann S, Engelen B, Thielemann T, Cramer B, Schippers A, Cypionka H (2008) Microbial methane formation from hard coal and timber in an abandoned coal mine. Geomicrobiol J 25:315-321

Süß J, Herrmann K, Seidel M, Cypionka H, Engelen B, Sass H (2008) Two distinct Photobacterium populations thrive in ancient Mediterranean sapropels. Microb Ecol 55:371-383

2007
Batzke A, Engelen B, Sass H, Cypionka H (2007) Phylogenetic and physiological diversity of cultured deep-biosphere bacteria from Equatorial Pacific Ocean and Peru Margin sediments. Geomicrobiology J 24:261-273

Schmitz Y, Baurmann M, Engelen B, Feudel U (2007) Pattern Formation of Competing Microorganisms in Sediments. Math Model Nat Phenom 2:74-104

Wilms R, Sass H, Köpke B, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2007) Methane and sulfate profiles within the subsurface of a tidal flat are reflected by the distribution of sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 59:611–621

2006
Lever MA, Alperin M, Engelen B, Inagaki F, Nakagawa S, Steinsbu BO, Teske A, IODP Expedition 301 Scientists (2006) Trends in basalt and sediment core contamination during IODP expedition 301. Geomicrobiol J 23:517-530

Nakagawa S, Inagaki F, Suzuki Y, Steinsbu BO, Lever MA, Takai K, Engelen B, Sako Y, Wheat CG, Horikoshi K, and IODP Exp. 301 Scientists (2006) Microbial Community in Black Rust Exposed to Hot Ridge Flank Crustal Fluids. Appl Environ Microbiol 72:6789–6799

Süß J, Schubert K, Sass H, Cypionka H, Overmann J, Engelen B (2006) Widespread distribution and high abundance of Rhizobium radiobacter within Mediterranean subsurface sediments. Environ Microbiol 8:1753-1763

Wilms R, Köpke B, Sass H, Chang TS, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2006) Deep biosphere-related bacteria within the subsurface of tidal flat sediments. Environ Microbiol 8:709-719

Wilms R, Sass H, Köpke B, Köster J, Cypionka H, Engelen B (2006) Specific bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic communities in tidal-flat sediment along a vertical profile of several meters. Appl Environ Microbiol 72:2756-2764

2005
Del Panno M, Morelli IS, Engelen B, Berthe-Corti L (2005) Effect of petrochemical sludge concentrations on microbial communities during a soil bioremediation process. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 53:305-316

Engelen B (2005) Im Untergrund des Watts: Bakterien in der "tiefen Biosphäre". Einblicke 41:25-27

Köpke B, Wilms R, Engelen B, Cypionka H, Sass H (2005) Microbial diversity in coastal subsurface sediments - a cultivation approach using various electron acceptors and substrate gradients. Appl Environ Microbiol 71:7819-7830

2004
D'Hondt S, Jørgensen BB, Miller DJ, Batzke A, Blake R, Cragg BA, Cypionka H, Dickens GR, Ferdelman T, Hinrichs KU, Holm NG, Mitterer R, Spivack A, Wang G, Bekins B, Engelen B, Ford K, Gettemy G, Rutherford SD, Sass H, Skilbeck CG, Aiello IW, Guèrin G, House C, Inagaki F, Meister P, Naehr T, Niitsuma S, Parkes RJ, Schippers A, Smith DC, Teske A, Wiegel J, Padilla CN, Acosta JLS (2004) Distributions of microbial activities in deep subseafloor sediments. Science 306:2216-2221

Süß J, Engelen B, Cypionka H, Sass H (2004) Quantitative analysis of bacterial communities from Mediterranean sapropels based on cultivation-dependent methods. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 51:109-121

2003
Sass H, Engelen B, Cypionka H (2003) Die tiefe Biosphäre - Mikrobiologie der Erdkruste. BioSpektrum 9:589-591

Overmann J, Schubert K, Hoffelner H, Engelen B (2003) Characterization of Bacteria in Sapropels, in Overlaying Sediments and Water Layers by a Multidisciplinary Approach. In: Hemleben C, Hoernle K, Jørgensen BB, and Roether W (Eds.), 2001, Ostatlantik - Mittelmeer - Schwarzes Meer, Cruise No. 51, 12 September - 28 December 2001. METEOR-Berichte, Universität Hamburg, 03-1, 225 pp. 3-32 - 3-40, ISSN 0936-8957

Before 2000
Engelen B (1998) Entwicklung und Anwendung von Methoden zur Differenzierung von Funktionen und Strukturen bakterieller Populationen des Bodens. Dissertation, TU Braunschweig

Glimm E, Heuer H, Engelen B, Smalla K, Backhaus H (1997) Statistical comparisons of community catabolic profiles. J Microbiol Meth 30:71-80.

Engelen B, Meinken K, von Wintzingerode F, Heuer H, Malkomes H-P, Backhaus H (1998) Monitoring Impact of a Pesticide Treatment on Bacterial Soil Communities by Metabolic and Genetic Fingerprinting in Addition to Conventional Testing Procedures. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:2814-2821

Felske A, Engelen B, Nübel U and Backhaus H (1996): Direct Ribosome Isolation from Soil to extract Bacterial rRNA for Community Analysis. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62: 4162-4167

Nübel U, Engelen B, Felske A, Snaidr L, Amann RI, Ludwig W and Backhaus H (1996): Sequence Heterogeneities of Genes encoding 16S rRNA in Paenibacillus polymyxa detected by Temperature Gel Electrophoresis. J. Bac. 178: 5636-5643

Backhaus H, Nickel A, Fritsch E, Huber J, Wendt-Potthoff K, Engelen B , Felske A , Nübel U and Jehle JA (1995): From Gene Transfer to Risk Assessment: Experiences with Genetic Variability in Baculoviruses and New Approaches to Analyse the Reaction of Microbial Communities to Stress Factors In: Schmidt et al. Hrsg. Springer, Berlin.

Heuer H, Hartung K, Engelen B and Smalla K (1995): Studies on microbial communities associated with potatoe plants by BIOLOG and TGGE patterns. Med. Fac. Landbouww. Univ. Gent, 60/4b, p.: 2639-2645