Chair of Pathology of Trees

Faculty of Environment und Natural Resources

Chair of Tree Pathology

Abkürzung der Fakultät für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen "unr" in der Farbe sand auf grünem, kreisförmigen Hintergrund

Due to increasingly extreme climate conditions, trees are exposed to growing biotic and abiotic stress factors, making them more susceptible to pests and pathogens, such as pathogenic fungi. Trees in our forests and urban areas are increasingly confronted with novel, spreading pathogens.

Our research focuses on:

Methods for tracking disease outbreaks
Factors that promote the spread of emerging pathogens
Strategies to enhance tree resilience against new pathogens
Interactions between endophytes and pathogens
Development of diagnostic methods for pathogen identification to enable preventive measures

News

Award

German Forestry Science Award 2023

The German Forestry Science Award 2023 goes to junior professor Kathrin Blumenstein for her outstanding research achievements in improving our understanding of the interactions between host trees, harmful organisms and microbiota. “With her scientific work, Kathrin Blumenstein is helping to develop targeted measures to strengthen the defence mechanisms of trees. She is thus making a significant contribution to increasing the resilience of trees and to the further development of the field of forest pathology,” the Board of Trustees explained its decision.
German Forestry Science Award worth 50,000 euros presented to Junior Professor Kathrin Blumenstein

Campaign

Frau* schafft Wissen – a campaign by the University of Freiburg

The University of Freiburg is committed to equality and the advancement of women. That is why we are presenting women from the university in 22 episodes of #frauSCHAFFTwissen // #womenSHAPINGknowledge: they come from different disciplines, fields of activity and career levels, thus representing the diversity of career paths at a university. They all CREATE knowledge: they teach, research, sort, organise, coordinate, collect and sometimes overcome obstacles in the process.
One of the scientists portrayed is Kathrin Blumenstein.

Funding programme

More women in science: Kathrin Blumenstein selected for the “Margarete von Wrangell Programm”

With the newly established ‘Margarete von Wrangell Programme’, the MWK Baden-Württemberg, together with the European Social Fund, is supporting particularly qualified female researchers in their transition from the post-doctoral phase to a tenured professorship.
This year, junior professor Dr Kathrin Blumenstein is one of these scientists. For the next three years, she will be able to employ a newly qualified scientist to further develop her field of research. This post-doctoral position has been successfully filled by Dr Blessing Durodola. Dr Durodola will receive full-time employment and the opportunity to qualify for an advanced position such as junior research group leader or tenure-track/junior professor.

Future Forests

The adaptation of complex socio-ecological systems to global change is the subject of a cluster of excellence initiative at the German Research Foundation. The aim of the cluster application is to develop, analyse and evaluate transformation pathways towards resilient forests and resilient systems, their governance, management and use. Jürgen Bauhus is the spokesperson for the cluster initiative.

Application

Research

Our research focus and projects

Teaching

Our teaching offer and information about student theses

Publications

Lists of our publications and contributions in the media