The Organismic Interactions Department, headed by Regine Kahmann, is focused on the biology of phytopathogenic fungi and in particular the mechanisms that underlie morphological differentiation and communication of these fungi with their plant hosts. Furthermore, the department is focused on the mechanisms that enable fungi to colonize plants successfully and on the processes accounting for variations in host preference and fungal lifestyles. There are three research groups:
* Molecular phytopathology (Regine Kahmann)
* Establishment of compatibility in biotrophic interactions (Gunther Döhlemann)
* Functional genomics and molecular biology of symbiotic fungi (Alga Zuccaro)