Andre completed a BSc degree in Molecular Biotechnology before focusing on computational and systems biology during his MSc. After graduating from Heidelberg University in 2017, he became a Gates Cambridge Scholar and a PhD student at Cambridge University where his research addressed open questions in aquatic microbiology and algae biotechnology using high-throughput multi-omic approaches. He also co-founded and became co-leader of the citizen science project
PuntSeq, which aims to democratise novel real-time DNA sequencing technology, and in 2020 presented an open-source, low-cost metagenomics framework to monitor microbial composition of freshwater sources. Andre obtained his PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2021. Since then, he has worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Plant Sciences Department, coupling his expertise in microbiology, computational biology, and portable DNA sequencing, to better understand, detect and use microbes.
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 Research 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
2018-2020 Demonstrator on 1B Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
2015 Tutor in Physical Chemistry II, IPMB, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg
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
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.
