Heidrun Halbwirth
Associate Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.in techn. Heidrun Halbwirth
Institute of Process Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Technical Biosciences, Research Group Phytochemistry and Biochemistry of Natural Products
Habilitated for: Phytochemistry
Homepage (University): https://www.tuwien.at/tch/icebe/e166-06/e166-06-2-phytochemie-und-biochemie-der-naturstoffe
As of 2018 Associate Prof at the Technische Universität Wien
2016-2018 Assistant Prof at the Technische Universität Wien
2004-2016 Project assistant at the Technische Universität Wien, AT
2012-2014 Lecturer at University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
October 2010 Top three shortlist for a professorship at the Technical University of Munich Freising (Biotechnology of horticultural plants)
2002-2004 Post Doc, Technische Universität Wien, Institute of Chemical Engineering
As of 2001 Lecturer at the Technische Universität Wien, AT
1999-2002 Post Doc, Technische Universität Wien, Institute of Applied Botany, AT
- Post-Doc, Technische Universität München Freising Weihenstephan, Chair of Ornamental Plants and Plant Breeding, DE (Univ. Prof. Dr. Gert Forkmann)
1994-1997 PhD student, Technische Universität Wien, Institute of Applied Botany, AT
MAIN AREAS OF RESEARCH
Secondary metabolism in plants: Our research focuses on the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites of renewable resource crops, ornamentals and horticultural crops at the level of metabolites, enzymes and genes. This covers different aspects from the identification of compounds, elucidation of pathways, discovery and characterization of novel enzymes and genes, to investigations of their physiological relevance. A particular focus is placed on plant pigments, because colouration is generally an important, eye-catching trait attracting the consumer’s interest in many fields, such as textiles, foods and flowers, and pigmentation has long served as an exemplary model for the establishment of fundamental scientific knowledge, taking advantage of the simple and rapid detection allowing a transfer to other traits and pathways.