Justus Liebig University Gießen
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Prof. Dr. Christa Ewers Prof. Dr. Ewers is the Project Coordinator of the MARRES project and serves as the Head of the Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals at Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany. She is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Microbiology (ECVM) and specializes in the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria, such as Enterobacterales and Acinetobacter species. Her research explores the reservoirs and zoonotic potential of MDR bacteria, particularly ESBL/AmpC- and carbapenemase-producing as well as colistin-resistant strains across humans, livestock, companion animals, and wildlife. Her team conducts bioinformatic analyses on genomes and plasmids to investigate virulence and AMR determinants, alongside developing intervention strategies to mitigate MDR spread in veterinary and production environments. Within MARRES, her institute is responsible for the phenotypic and genotypic analysis of bacteria isolated from water, organ, and feces samples sent by partners TiHo and HMS UG. Her team also coordinates the preparation of samples from TiHo, LSM, and HMS UG for metagenomic analysis, which are then forwarded to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for further study. |
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Dr. Ellen Prenger-Berninghoff As head of the microbiology and mycology diagnostic laboratory at the Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Dr. Prenger-Berninghoff manages the flow and interpretation of sample results while providing guidance to veterinarians on antibiotic treatment options. With her extensive expertise in microbiological analysis of samples from marine mammals and other wildlife, Dr. Prenger-Berninghoff brings critical diagnostic insights to the project. She is a certified veterinary microbiology specialist and a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Microbiology (ECVM). In addition to her diagnostic tasks, she collaborates closely with the MARRES project manager, contributing her vast knowledge to advance the project’s objectives on antimicrobial resistance in marine ecosystems. |
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Sophie Aurich Sophie Aurich, a German veterinary specialist in microbiology, has been with the Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals at Justus-Liebig University Giessen since 2019. She is the project manager for the MARRES project, overseeing all organizational and administrative aspects and ensuring effective collaboration among consortium members. With a background in microbiological diagnostics, her research interests include One Health and antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. As the main point of contact for partners, she facilitates communication and supports the team in advancing MARRES’ objectives to gain a better understanding of antimicrobial resistance within marine ecosystems. |
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Sabrina Seip Sabrina Seip joined the MARRES project as a PhD student in 2024, where she focuses on the comprehensive analysis of bacterial isolates from various specimen types provided by partners TiHo and HMS UG. Her work emphasizes both genotypic and phenotypic assessments of antimicrobial resistance, along with epidemiological investigations targeting Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter species. |
