Prof. Dr. Marie-Christine Simon has assumed leadership of the new "Computational Microbiome & Brain Health" research group within the Bioinformatics department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing SCAI. This appointment further strengthens the institute's collaboration with the University of Bonn.
In addition to her new role at Fraunhofer SCAI, Prof. Simon continues to serve as an assistant professor at the University of Bonn. This dual position enhances the connection between fundamental academic research and applied research in computational life sciences, promoting knowledge transfer between the two domains.
Specializing in nutrition, microbiota, and metabolism, Prof. Simon has previously worked at the German Diabetes Center and the University of Gothenburg. Since 2019, she has led a junior research group within the Diet-Body-Brain competence cluster at the University of Bonn. Her research focuses on the gut-brain axis and the significance of microbiota for human health. She plans to integrate this expertise into the algorithm-driven bioinformatics environment at Fraunhofer SCAI, aiming to develop new approaches in healthy aging, longevity, and brain health.
With Prof. Simon's appointment, the leadership within the Bioinformatics department at Fraunhofer SCAI achieves gender parity, aligning with the Fraunhofer Society's goal to increase the proportion of women in leadership positions.
New impulses for the Bioinformatics Department
The Bioinformatics department at Fraunhofer SCAI aims to dissolve the boundaries between biological data generation and computational analysis. "The distinction between 'wet lab' and 'in silico' is becoming increasingly obsolete. All biology is computational biology," explains Prof. Dr. Martin Hofmann-Apitius, head of the Bioinformatics department at Fraunhofer SCAI and a colleague of Prof. Simon at the University of Bonn. "With Prof. Simon, we gain a scientist who combines academic perspectives with practical experience in intervention studies and data generation. Her work will shape our strategic direction toward new solutions for brain health and longevity."
Prof. Simon emphasizes the importance of collaboration between Fraunhofer SCAI and the University of Bonn and aims to promote innovative projects at the intersection of biological research and bioinformatics. "Topics such as the gut-brain axis and brain health offer enormous potential for science and industry," she notes.
Additionally, Prof. Simon will strengthen Fraunhofer SCAI's international collaborations, particularly with the Institute for Healthier Living (IHLAD) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, focusing on the interactions between microbiota, nutrition, and health.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Marie-Christine Simon
Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Bonn
E-Mail: marie-christine.simon@uni-bonn.de
Press contact:
Fraunhofer-Institut für Algorithmen und Wissenschaftliches Rechnen SCAI
E-Mail: Contact
