Andre completed a BSc degree in Molecular Biotechnology before he focused towards Computational and Systems Biology during his MSc. After graduating from Heidelberg University in 2017, he started his PhD at Cambridge where his research is investigating open questions in the evolution of B vitamin dependencies, microbial interactions as well as the role of transposable elements in algae by applying multi-omic approaches. In parallel, he is co-leader of the citizen science project
PuntSeq, which is employing novel real-time DNA sequencing to monitor microbial composition of freshwater sources. Andre is a Gates Cambridge scholar and joined the Plant Metabolism Group in 2017.
2017-2021 PhD thesis, Plant Metabolism Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
2016 Master thesis, Genome Organization & Function Group, DKFZ & BioQuant Center, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
2016 Research intern, Optical Nanoscopy Group, DKFZ & BioQuant Center, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
2014-2015 Research intern, Plant Metabolism Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
2014 Graduate research assistant, Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Group, IWR, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
2014 Reserach intern, Bacterial Signaling Network Group, BioQuant/ZMBH, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
2014 Research intern, Computational Oncology Group, DKFZ, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
2014 Graduate research assistant, Bacterial Signaling Network Group, BioQuant/ZMBH, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
2013 Research intern, Bacterial Signaling Network Group, BioQuant/ZMBH, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
2013 Student assistant, Biocompatibility Laboratory, Applications Engineering, Fresenius Medical Care St. Wendel
2013 Research assistant, Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Group , IWR, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
Teaching
April - October 2015 Tutor in Physical Chemistry II, IPMB, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
2018-2020 Demonstrator on 1B Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
Stipends
2016 EMBL/EMBO conference fellowship
e61504
, Helliwell KH, Mehrshahi P, Davey MP, Salmon D, Holzer A, Smirnoff N, Smith AG (2020) Responses of a Newly Evolved Auxotroph of Chlamydomonas to B12 Deprivation. Plant Physiology 183: 167-178. doi: 10.1104/pp.19.01375
Holzer A, Newsad S, Tran NA, Harrison E, Smith AG (2020) Microalgae, bacteria and vitamins: three key players in aquatic microbial communities. Microbiology Today
Helliwell KE, Lawrence AD, Holzer A, Kudahl UJ, Sasso S, Kräutler B, Scanlan DJ, Warren MJ & Smith AG (2016) Cyanobacteria and Eukaryotic Algae Use Different Chemical Variants of Vitamin B12. Current Biology 26: 999-1008. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.02.041
* shared first author
Geisler K, Scaife MA, Mordaka PM, Holzer A, Mehrshahi P, Mendoza Ochoa G, Smith AG (2021)
, Helliwell KH, Mehrshahi P, Davey MP, Salmon D, Holzer A, Smirnoff N, Smith AG (2019) Physiological and molecular responses of a newly evolved auxotroph of Chlamydomonas to B12 deprivation. BioRxiv preprint 1-20. doi: 10.1101/836635
Holzer A (2019). The Chlamydomonas reference genomes for visualisation in IGV (Version v1.0). Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.3732212
Holzer A, Urban L, Stammnitz M (2019). Health and the River Cam, Public Survey Analysis. Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/ZENODO.3823356
Wenzel J, Holzer A, Wormit M & Dreuw A (2015) Analysis and comparison of CVS-ADC approaches up to third order for the calcula on of core-excited states. The Journal of Chemical Physics 142: 214104. doi: 10.1063/1.4921841.