Christopher Zeidler has been a Doctoral Researcher in the IMPACT Research Consortium since March 2023 under the supervision of Prof. Stephan Hühn-Lindenbein. His research lies at the intersection of food microbiology, microbial genomics, food safety, and food analysis. His methodological expertise includes the design, implementation, and evaluation of molecular biological investigations using multiplex PCR and quantitative PCR (qPCR), as well as genome analysis based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. In addition, he teaches in the Bachelor's and Master's programs in Food Technology and supervises students during laboratory courses in food technology. His doctoral research is conducted in collaboration with the Free University of Berlin.
The primary focus of his doctoral research is the occurrence of human-pathogenic Vibrio species in seafood and the detailed characterization of their virulence traits. A major aspect of his work is the assessment of the current prevalence of clinically relevant Vibrio species in seafood available through the German retail market. The results of this research have already been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. He also investigates genomic and phenotypic differences in virulence between clinical and environmental strains of Vibrio alginolyticus. Another key area of his research is the taxonomic differentiation of closely related species within the so-called Harveyi clade of the genus Vibrio using genome-based and bioinformatics approaches. Overall, his research contributes to a more comprehensive assessment of the public health significance of Vibrio bacteria, whose distribution and the likelihood of human exposure are expected to increase as a result of climate-driven changes in marine ecosystems.
Following vocational training in food retail and several years of experience as a department manager, Christopher Zeidler obtained his university entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences before studying Food Technology at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences and Technology (BHT), where he earned a Master of Science degree. From 2018 to 2023, he worked as a research associate in several food analytical laboratories. His responsibilities included the scientific and regulatory evaluation of microbiological and analytical test results, verification of food labeling compliance with food legislation, and preparation of technical assessment reports. This experience enabled him to develop an integrated understanding of food-related challenges. His particular strength lies in combining expertise in food technology, molecular biology, food analysis, and public health risk assessment.
Doctoral Research Period: Since March 2023
Research Institution: Berliner Hochschule für Technik (BHT)
Collaborating Institution: Freie Universität Berlin (FUB)
