About Us

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Klaus Wimmers

+49 38208 68-600
wimmers@fbn-dummerstorf.de
Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)
Director
Head of Working Group Physiological Genomics
Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2
18196 Dummerstorf
Germany
ResearchGate

Research interests

  • inheritance and expression of traits related to productive adaptability and resilience in livestock
  • Trait-associated variation at the molecular levels of the genotype-phenotype map
  • Transcriptional response to exogenous stimuli and epigenetic basis of genotype-environment interaction

Curriculum Vitae

  • since 2016: director of the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology & Professor "Animal Breeding and Genetics", Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University Rostock
  • 2008-2016: adjunct Professor, University of Bonn
  • 2004-2016: head of Institute for Genome Biology of the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)
  • 2002: habilitation in Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Bonn
    1996-2003: scientific coworker at the Institute of Animal science, University of Bonn
  • 1994: doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.)
  • 1990-1996: research fellow at the Institute of Animal production, TU Berlin
  • 1989: Study of veterinary science, FU Berlin

Teaching

  • Lectures and seminars at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bonn and at the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock

Publications

Ponsuksili, S.; Li, S.; Siengdee, P.; Hadlich, F.; Trakooljul, N.; Oster, M.; Reyer, H.; Wimmers, K. (2025):
DNA methylation in adipocyte differentiation of porcine mesenchymal stem cells and the impact of the donor metabolic type
Siriluck Wimmers, Shuaichen Li, Michael Oster, Henry Reyer, Klaus Wimmers
Genomics 117 (3): 111050, 1-13
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2025.111050
Oster, M.; Gladbach, C. A.; Vernunft, A.; Reyer, H.; Otten, W.; Metges, C. C.; Muráni, E.; Ponsuksili, S.; Frölich, K.; Wimmers, K.; Bostedt, H. (2025):
Influence of genotype-environment interaction on stress parameters during spontaneous farrowing in modern and traditional pig breeds housed in crates and pens
Michael Oster, Andreas Vernunft, Henry Reyer, Cornelia Christiane Metges, Eduard Muráni, Siriluck Wimmers, Klaus Wimmers
Theriogenology 240: 117394, 1-11
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117394
Lickfett, H.; Oster, M.; Vernunft, A.; Reyer, H.; Görs, S.; Metges, C. C.; Bostedt, H.; Wimmers, K. (2025):
Influence of genotype and environment on piglet vitality and metabolic state during the suckling period of divergent birth weight classes
Heinke Lickfett, Michael Oster, Andreas Vernunft, Henry Reyer, Solvig Görs, Cornelia Christiane Metges, Klaus Wimmers
Animal 19 (4): 101460, 1-14
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2025.101460
Cavalleri, M.; Sciascia, Q. L.; Görs, S.; Vernunft, A.; Reyer, H.; Wimmers, K.; Zentek, J.; Kluess, J.; Dänicke, S.; Metges, C. C. (2025):
Measurement of Oro-Cecal Transit Time in LPS-Treated Pigs Fed High and Low Fiber Diets Using the Lactose-13C-Ureide Test in Breath and Saliva Samples
Miriama Sciascia, Solvig Görs, Andreas Vernunft, Henry Reyer, Klaus Wimmers, Cornelia Christiane Metges
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 73 (17): 10304−10315
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c00534
Reyer, H.; Mielenz, M.; Daş, G.; Metges, C. C.; Wimmers, K. (2025):
Microbial profiling of black soldier fly larvae reared on substrates supplemented with different mineral sources originating from phosphorus recycling technologies
Henry Reyer, Manfred Mielenz, Gürbüz Daş, Cornelia Christiane Metges, Klaus Wimmers
Animal Microbiome 7: 14, 1-14
https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-025-00380-5
Ponsuksili, S.; Hadlich, F.; Li, S.; Trakooljul, N.; Reyer, H.; Oster, M.; Abitew, Y. A.; Sommerfeld, V.; Rodehutscord, M.; Wimmers, K. (2025):
DNA methylation dynamics in the small intestine of egg-selected laying hens along egg production stages
Siriluck Wimmers, Shuaichen Li, Henry Reyer, Michael Oster, Yosef Amsalu Abitew, Klaus Wimmers
Physiological Genomics 57 (3): 125-139
https://doi.org/10.1152/physiolgenomics.00063.2024
Muráni, E.; Trakooljul, N.; Hadlich, F.; Wimmers, K. (2025):
Transcriptional signature of a hypersensitive glucocorticoid receptor variant in the neuroendocrine system suggests enhanced vulnerability to brain disorders
Eduard Muráni, Klaus Wimmers
Brain, Behavior and Immunity 124 (2): 335-346
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.12.004
Ma, W.; Brenmoehl, J.; Trakooljul, N.; Wimmers, K.; Muráni, E. (2025):
Dexamethasone has profound influence on the energy metabolism of porcine blood leukocytes and prevents the LPS-induced glycolytic switch
Julia Brenmoehl, Klaus Wimmers, Eduard Muráni
Frontiers in Immunology 16: 1514061, 1-13
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1514061
Sommerfeld, V.; Hanauska, A.; Huber, K.; Bennewitz, J.; Camarinha-Silva, A.; Feger, M.; Föller, M.; Oster, M.; Ponsuksili, S.; Schmucker, S.; Seifert, J.; Stefanski, V.; Wimmers, K.; Rodehutscord, M. (2024):
Effects of myo-inositol supplementation in the diet on myo-inositol concentrations in the intestine, blood, eggs, and excreta of laying hens
Michael Oster, Siriluck Wimmers, Klaus Wimmers
Poultry Science 104 (1): 104545, 1-30
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2024.104545
Sommerfeld, V.; Bennewitz, J.; Camarinha-Silva, A.; Feger, M.; Föller, M.; Huber, H.; Oster, M.; Ponsuksili, S.; Schmucker, S.; Seifert, J.; Stefanski, V.; Wimmers, K.; Rodehutscord, M. (2024):
Effects of feeding diets without mineral P supplement on intestinal phytate degradation, blood concentrations of Ca and P, and excretion of Ca and P in two laying hen strains before and after onset of laying activity
Michael Oster, Siriluck Wimmers, Klaus Wimmers
Poultry Science 103 (12): 104407, 1-12
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2024.104407
Omotoso, A. O.; Reyer, H.; Oster, M.; Ponsuksili, S.; Metzler-Zebeli, B.; Wimmers, K. (2024):
Hepatic Transcriptomics of Broilers with Low and High Feed Conversion in Response to Caloric Restriction
Henry Reyer, Michael Oster, Siriluck Wimmers, Klaus Wimmers
Metabolites 14: 625, 1-13
https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo14110625
Honerlagen, H.; Reyer, H.; Wimmers, K. (2024):
Fundamental insights into the host genome - rumen microbiota - trait complex of cow-individual nitrogen (N) utilisation and N excretion
Henry Reyer, Klaus Wimmers
Züchtungskunde 96 (1), 34-42
Abitew, Y. A.; Reyer, H.; Hadlich, F.; Oster, M.; Trakooljul, N.; Sommerfeld, V.; Rodehutscord, M.; Wimmers, K.; Ponsuksili, S. (2024):
Transcriptional responses to diets without mineral phosphorus supplementation in the jejunum of two high-yielding laying hen strains
Yosef Amsalu Abitew, Henry Reyer, Michael Oster, Klaus Wimmers, Siriluck Wimmers
Poultry Science 103 (12): 104484, 1-11
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2024.104484
Reyer, H.; Honerlagen, H.; Oster, M.; Ponsuksili, S.; Kuhla, B.; Wimmers, K. (2024):
Multi-tissue gene expression profiling of cows with a genetic predisposition for low and high milk urea levels
Henry Reyer, Michael Oster, Siriluck Wimmers, Björn Kuhla, Klaus Wimmers
Animal Biotechnology 35 (1): 2322542, 1-9
https://doi.org/10.1080/10495398.2024.2322542
Kalbfleisch, T. S.; McKay, S. D.; Murdoch, B. M.; Adelson, D. L.; Almansa-Villa, D.; Becker, G.; Beckett, L. M.; Benítez-Galeano, M. J.; Biase, F.; Casey, T.; Chuong, E.; Clark, E.; Clark, S.; Cockett, N.; Couldrey, C.; Davis, B. W.; Elsik, C. G.; Faraut, T.; Gao, Y.; Genet, C.; Grady, P.; Green, J.; Green, R.; Guan, D.; Hagen, D.; Hartley, G. A.; Heaton, M.; Hoyt, S. J.; Huang, W.; Jarvis, E.; Kalleberg, J.; Khatib, H.; Koepfi, K.-P.; Koltes, J.; Koren, S.; Kuehn, C.; Leeb, T.; Leonard, A.; Liu, G. E.; Low, W. Y.; McConnell, H.; McRae, K.; Miga, K.; Mousel, M.; Neibergs, H.; Olagunju, T.; Pennell, M.; Petry, B.; Pewsner, M.; Phillippy, A. M.; Pickett, B. D.; Pineda, P.; Potapova, T.; Rachagani, S.; Rhie, A.; Rijnkels, M.; Robic, A.; Osorio, N. R.; Safonova, Y.; Schettini, G.; Schnabel, R. D.; Natesh, N. S.; Stegemiller, N. R.; Storer, J.; Stothard, P.; Stull, C.; Tosser-Klopp, G.; Traglia, G. M.; Tuggle, C. K.; Tassell, C. P. Van; Watson, C.; Weikard, R.; Wimmers, K.; Xie, S.; Yang, L.; Smith, T. P. L.; O’Neil, R. J.; Rosen, B. D. (2024):
The Ruminant Telomere-to-Telomere (RT2T) Consortium
Klaus Wimmers
Nature Genetics 56: 1566-1573
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-024-01835-2
Ponsuksili, S.; Siengdee, P.; Li, S.; Kriangwanich, W.; Oster, M.; Reyer, H.; Wimmers, K. (2024):
Effect of metabolically divergent pig breeds and tissues on mesenchymal stem cell expression patterns during adipogenesis
Siriluck Wimmers, Shuaichen Li, Michael Oster, Henry Reyer, Klaus Wimmers
BMC Genomics 25: 407, 1-15
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10308-z
Li, S.; Siengdee, P.; Hadlich, F.; Trakooljul, N.; Oster, M.; Reyer, H.; Wimmers, K.; Ponsuksili, S. (2024):
Dynamics of DNA methylation during osteogenic differentiation of porcinesynovial membrane mesenchymal stem cells from two metabolically distinctbreeds
Shuaichen Li, Michael Oster, Henry Reyer, Klaus Wimmers, Siriluck Wimmers
Epigenetics 19 (1): 2375011, 1-15
https://doi.org/10.1080/15592294.2024.2375011
Koch, F.; Reyer, H.; Görs, S.; Hansen, C.; Wimmers, K; Kuhla, B. (2024):
Heat stress and feeding effects on the mucosa-associated and digesta microbiome and their relationship to plasma and digesta fluid metabolites in the jejunum of dairy cows
Franziska Koch, Henry Reyer, Solvig Görs, Klaus Wimmers, Björn Kuhla
Journal of Dairy Science 107 (7): 5162-5177
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-24242
Hasan, M.; Reyer, H.; Oster, M.; Trakooljul, N.; Ponsuksili, S.; Magowan, E.; Fischer, D.-C.; Wimmers, K. (2024):
Exposure to artificial ultraviolet-B light mediates alterations on the hepatic transcriptome and vitamin D metabolism in pigs
Henry Reyer, Michael Oster, Siriluck Wimmers, Klaus Wimmers
The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 236: 106428, 1-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2023.106428
Reyer, H.; Abou-Soliman, I.; Schulze, M.; Henne, H.; Reinsch, N.; Schön, J.; Wimmers, K. (2024):
Genome-Wide Association Analysis of Semen Characteristics in Piétrain Boars
Henry Reyer, Norbert Reinsch, Klaus Wimmers
Genes 15 (3): 382, 1-12
https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15030382