The Wendling lab was launched at ETH Zurich before moving to LMU Munich in 2024. We aim to unravel how bacteria evolve in response to abiotic and biotic environmental interactions. We thereby focus on one of the most important players that influence bacterial ecology and evolution: mobile genetic elements (MGEs), including plasmids and phages, which can provide their bacterial hosts with accessory genes, such as virulence and/ or antibiotic resistance genes. By working at different levels of biological complexity, from clonal populations to complex microbial communities, we aim to elucidate phage-bacteria interactions in diverse backgrounds. Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, we employ a diverse array of techniques such as molecular biology, experimental evolution, in vivo infection experiments, genomics, and mathematical modelling. This holistic approach enables us to explore antimicrobial resistance, infectious diseases, and phage therapy from various angles, leading to a comprehensive understanding of these complex phenomena and advancing phage therapy applications in gut infections.

Our research priorities include the following: