Jessica Finck
Research theme Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO)
Research theme Molecular Biogeochemistry
Intern. Max Planck Research School for Global Biogeochemical Cycles (IMPRS-gBGC)
Main Focus
I've started my PhD in January 2022. My goal is to use 16S/18S DNA Next-Generation Sequencing, and metagenomics to deepen our understanding of Amazonia's microbial communities and their activity, and to unravel their linkage to the dissolved organic matter (DOM) and biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) pool. Further, I aim to explore seasonal differences in community composition and functioning between different ecosystems in the Amazon rainforest.
Ask me about:
- DNA/RNA extraction & (quantitative) PCR
- transformation & plasmid cloning from scratch
- microbial community analysis using QIIME2 & R
- α- and β-diversity analsis w/ vegan
- Differential abundance
- PICRUSt, FAPROTAX, FUNGuild
- different types of statistical & correlation analyses (e.g., linear modeling, Spearman, etc.)
Curriculum Vitae
since 2022 PhD student at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
2020-2021 Scientific Assistent for Rebecca Cooper (Institute for Biodiversity, FSU Jena)
2016-2020 M.Sc. Evolution, Ecology and Systematics, FSU Jena
2018-2019 Academic tutor for Stefan Halle (Institute for Ecology and Evolution, FSU Jena)
2018 ERASMUS semester; Scientific intern in the project "Howling and Oxytocin
release in timber wolves (Canis lupus lycaon)" (Wolf Science Center, Austria)
2015-2016 Academic tutor for Johannes Wöstemeyer (Institute for Microbiology, FSU Jena)
and for Maria Mittag (Institute for Ecology and Evolution, FSU Jena)
2013-2016 B.Sc. Biology, FSU Jena
Awards & Certificates
2025 FEMS MICRO Conference Attendee Grant
2024 DAAD Research Stipend
2022 Summer School on Multi'omics for Microbial Community Studies (Physalia Courses)
2021 Best Lightning Talk (Committee Award) (MiCom 2021)
2021 Summer School on Archaeogenetics and Paleoproteomics (MPI-SHH Jena)
2021 International Spring School on Hydrothermal Vents (EANA)
2021 Operational first responder outdoor according to §26 DGUV and §19 FeV
Publications
Cooper, R. E., Finck, J., Chan, C., Küsel, K. (2023). Mixotrophy broadens the ecological niche range of iron oxidizing Sideroxydans sp. CL21 isolated from an iron-rich peatland. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac156.
Presentations
Finck, J., Lange, D. F., Quesada, B., Takeshi, B., Andreote, F. D., Gleixner, G. (2025, Jul 17). From the pan into the fire: How seasonal drought reduces microbial diversity and functional potential in the Amazon rainforest. [Conference talk] FEMS MICRO, Milano, Italy.
Finck, J., Lange, D. F., Quesada, B., Takeshi, B., Ferreira, S., Andreote, F. D.,
Küsel, K., Kothe, E., Gleixner, G. (2024, Apr 16). Seasonal drought
reduces microbial diversity and functional richness in the Amazon. [Conference talk] EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.
Finck, J., Lange, D. F., Quesada, B., Takeshi, B., Ferreira, S., Andreote, F. D., Küsel, K., Kothe, E., Gleixner, G. (2023, Sep 25-27). Seasonal drought reduces microbial diversity in the Amazon. [Poster presentation] ATTO workshop, Manaus, Brazil.
Finck, J., Lange, D. F., Quesada, B., Takeshi, B., Ferreira, S., Andreote, F. D., Küsel, K., Kothe, E., Gleixner, G. (2022, Oct 3-7). The enigma of microbial community composition and functioning in different Amazon rainforest ecosystems. [Poster presentation] ATTO workshop, Manaus, Brazil.
Finck, J. (2021, August 27). Paleopathology of the Athenian plague 430–426 BC. Overcoming archaeological & epidemiological limitations through archaeogenetics? [Poster presentation] MPI-SHH Summer School, Jena, Germany.
Finck, J. (2021, March 29-31). From autotrophy to mixotrophy: Metabolic versatility of the Fe(II)-oxidizing Sideroxydans sp. CL21. [Conference talk] MiCom 2021, Jena, Germany.