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Former Head of Science & Co-FounderDr Tewodros Debebe Aklilu

Dr Tewodros Debebe Aklilu was the co-founder and Head of Science at BIOMES. In 2017 he received his doctorate in medical microbiology from the University of Leipzig Medical Faculty. He was awarded a doctoral prize for his work and was given the University of Leipzig Dr. Margarete Blank Publication Prize as one of the best doctorates of 2017.

After successfully graduating summa cum laude and gaining practical experience in medical microbiology, as well as in diagnostics and research at the University of Leipzig Medical Faculty, he began his entrepreneurial career as a co-founder and scientific director in 2017.

Before that, he obtained his Bachelor degree from the Bahir Dar University Medical Faculty in his homeland of Ethiopia, where he also worked as a lecturer from 2010-2012. He completed an advanced degree in vaccinology at the renowned Pasteur Institute in Paris in 2012.

Dr Debebe has already published over 15 scientific papers in internationally renowned journals. His great passion is understanding the role of the microbiota in health and disease, and how it interacts with our immune system. He researches the microbiota in order to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of individuals.

Professional experience

2024Medical specialist, medical microbiology, Saarland University Hospital
2017Co-founder and Head of Science of BIOMES NGS GmbH
2010-2012Lecturer at the Bahir Dar University Medical Faculty

Publications

Lilja S, Pointner A, Bäck H, Duszka K, Hippe B, Suarez L, Höfinger I, Debebe T, König J, Haslberger A. Fasting and fasting mimetic supplementation address sirtuin expression, miRNA and microbiota composition. Functional Foods in Health and Disease 2020; 10(10): 439-455.

Franke P, Krumbiegel C, Girke B, Hammer P, Frohme M, Debebe T. Diet Type, Antibiotic Intake and Gut Microbiota: A Lesson from a Large Cross-Sectional Study. Archive of the International Society of Microbiota, 2019 (pp 1-112).

Debebe T, Biagi E, Soverini M, Holtze S, Hildebrandt TB, Birkemeyer C, Wyohannis D, Lemma A, Brigidi P, Savkovic V, König B, Candela M, Birkenmeier G. Unraveling the gut microbiome of the long-lived naked mole-rat. Nature Scientific Report 2017;7(1):9590.

Hutschenreuther A, Bigl M, Hemdan NY, Debebe T, Gaunitz F, Birkenmeier G. Modulation of GLO1 Expression Affects Malignant Properties of Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2016; 17(12). pii: E2133.
Debebe T, Krüger M, Huse K, Kacza J, Mühlberg K, König B, Birkenmeier G. Ethyl pyruvate: An anti-microbial agent that selectively targets pathobionts and biofilms. PLos One. 2016; 11(9):e0162919.

Birkenmeier G, Hemdan NY, Kurz S, Bigl M, Pieroh P, Debebe T, Buchold M, Thieme R, Wichmann, Dehghani F. Ethyl Pyruvate Combats Human Leukemia Cells but Spares Normal Blood Cells. PLoS One. 2016; 31;11(8):e0161571.

Debebe T, Holtze S, Morhart M, Hildebrandt TB, Rodewald S, Huse K, Platzer M, Wyohannes D, Yirga S, Lemma A, Thieme R, König B, Birkenmeier G. Analysis of cultivable microbiota and diet intake pattern of the long-lived naked mole-rat. Gut Pathog. 2016;8:25.

Thieme R, Kurz S, Kolb M, Debebe T, Holtze S, Morhart M, Huse K, Szafranski K, Platzer M, Hildebrandt TB, Birkenmeier G. Analysis of Alpha-2 Macroglobulin from the Long-Lived and Cancer-Resistant Naked Mole-Rat and Human Plasma. PLoS One. 2015; 23:10(6):e0130470.

Debebe T, Admassu A, Mamo G, Ameni G. Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, northwest Ethiopia. J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2014;47(4):333-8.