# Danny Ionescu

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**Danny Ionescu** (Hebrew: דני יונסקו) is an aquatic microbial ecologist leading a research group in the department of Environmental Microbiomics at the [Technische Universität Berlin](/source/Technische_Universit%C3%A4t_Berlin).[1] His primary research focus centers around the biology of giant bacteria[2][3] and [microbial life](/source/Microbial_life) in the [Dead Sea](/source/Dead_Sea).

## Education and career

Between 2000 and 2003, Ionescu earned a BSc degree in Marine Sciences and Marine Environmental Sciences from the [School of Marine Sciences](/source/Ruppin_Academic_Center#Marine_College_of_Israel) at the Ruppin Academic Center in Israel.[4]

His academic journey continued with a master's degree between 2003 and 2005, conducted under the guidance of Prof. Aharon Oren at the [Hebrew University of Jerusalem](/source/Hebrew_University_of_Jerusalem), in collaboration with Prof. Karlheinz Altendorf and Dr. Andre Lipski at the [University of Osnabrueck](/source/University_of_Osnabrueck) in Germany. His Master's thesis, titled "Characterization of an endoevaporitic microbial community in the Eilat salterns by fatty acid analysis and stable isotope labeling",[5] reflected his research focus during this period.

### Ph.D. and postdoctoral research

In 2005, Ionescu embarked on a Ph.D. degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as part of the peace project "Bridging the Rift",[6][7][8][9] in collaboration with Prof. Muna Hindiyeh[10] and Prof. Mohhamad Wedyan.[11] His [doctoral](/source/Doctorate) thesis was titled "Cyanobacterial Biogeography and Nitrogen Fixation: Lessons from environmental and model organisms".[12]

During his first postdoctoral research, starting in 2009, at the [Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology](/source/Max_Planck_Institute_for_Marine_Microbiology) in Bremen, Ionescu led the first scientific diving exploration of the [Dead Sea](/source/Dead_Sea).[13] The expedition revealed abundant microbial life forms in and around underwater freshwater springs.[14][15][16][17] The underwater scenery of the Dead Sea as documented by Ionescu and Dr. Christian Lott of the Hydra Institute was featured in several documentary movies.[18]

His work at the Max Planck Institute included studies on the interaction between minerals and microbial cells, conducted [Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory](/source/%C3%84sp%C3%B6_Hard_Rock_Laboratory) in Sweden[19] and on the island of [Kiritimati](/source/Kiritimati),[20] as part of the collaborative researcher group FOR571.[21]

Between 2014 and 2024, Ionescu conducted his research at the [Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries](/source/Leibniz_Institute_of_Freshwater_Ecology_and_Inland_Fisheries) (IGB), where his research focused on the genomics and ecology of giant bacteria, specifically the genus [Achromatium](/source/Achromatium). Notably, in 2017, Ionescu discovered that the multiple chromosomes harbored by these large bacteria are not identical,[22][23][24] highlighting their adaptability to different environments.[25][26][27]

In 2021, Ionescu has received the independent research grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) to further explore these topics.[28]

## Academic contributions

Ionescu has made significant contributions to the field of aquatic microbial ecology. A comprehensive list of his publications can be found on his ORCID[29] and Google Scholar[30] pages.

Additionally, Ionescu actively participates in the scientific community. He serves on the Managing Board of the open access research platform [PCI Genomics](/source/Peer_Community_in)[31] and contributes as a recommender for PCI Microbiology.[32] Moreover, he holds positions as an associate editor for [Frontiers in Microbiology](/source/Frontiers_in_Microbiology)[33] and editorial board member of [Scientific Reports](/source/Scientific_Reports).[34]

## Personal life

Born in Bucharest, Romania, in 1976, Ionescu and his family immigrated to Israel in 1984. He is married to Dr. [Mina Bizic](/source/Mina_Bizic), also a scientist, and the couple has two children.[35] Ionescu's brother, Ariel Ionescu,[36] is a Neurobiologist, and his brother-in-law, [David Bizic](/source/David_Bizic), is an opera singer.[37]

Ionescu is a certified SSI Gold level [diving instructor](/source/Diving_instructor)[38][39]

## References

1. Ionescu. Group Ionescu - Tu Berlin. (n.d.). [https://www.tu.berlin/en/umb/research/working-groups/group-ionescu](https://www.tu.berlin/en/umb/research/working-groups/group-ionescu)

1. Ionescu, Danny & Bizic, Mina. (2019). Giant Bacteria. 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020371.pub2.

1. Ionescu, Danny; Volland, Jean-Marie; Contarini, Paul-Emile; Gros, Olivier (2023). ["Genomic Mysteries of Giant Bacteria: Insights and Implications"](https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/15/9/evad163/7274083). *Genome Biology and Evolution*. **15** (9). [doi:10.1093/gbe/evad163](https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evad163). [ISSN 1759-6653](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1759-6653). [PMC 10519445](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10519445). [PMID 37708391](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37708391)

1. [http://www.igb-berlin.de](http://www.igb-berlin.de). Danny Ionescu | IGB. [online] Available at: [https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/profile/danny-ionescu](https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/profile/danny-ionescu) [Accessed 1 Feb. 2024]

1. Ionescu, Danny; Lipski, André; Altendorf, Karlheinz; Oren, Aharon (2007-02-01). ["Characterization of the endoevaporitic microbial communities in a hypersaline gypsum crust by fatty acid analysis"](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10750-006-0289-7). *Hydrobiologia*. **576** (1): 15–26. [Bibcode:2007HyBio.576...15I](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007HyBio.576...15I). [doi:10.1007/s10750-006-0289-7](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0289-7). [ISSN 1573-5117](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1573-5117)

1. ["Home"](https://www.cs.cornell.edu/projects/btr/). *www.cs.cornell.edu*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["Bridging the Rift at the Dead Sea | Breuerpress International"](https://www.breuerpress.com/2006/03/03/bridging-the-rift-at-the-dead-sea/) (in Hungarian). *www.breuerpress.com*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["New Science Center to Bridge the Rift"](https://www.science.org/content/article/new-science-center-bridge-rift). Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["Cornell and Stanford to work with Israel and Jordan on Bridging the Rift research center to include world's first databank for all living systems | Cornell Chronicle"](https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2004/02/worlds-first-databank-all-living-systems). *news.cornell.edu*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["Prof. Muna Hindiyeh"](https://www.gju.edu.jo/content/prof-muna-hindiyeh-1556). Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["The Hashemite University Faculty Staff Website"](https://staff.hu.edu.jo/Err.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/CV_e.aspx). *staff.hu.edu.jo*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2011) IONESCU, DANNY - PhD Thesis. Available at: [http://www.research-students.huji.ac.il/en/ionescu-0](http://www.research-students.huji.ac.il/en/ionescu-0) (Accessed: 01 February 2024). Cyanobacterial Biogeography and Nitrogen Fixation: Lessons form Environmental and Model Organisms

1. [*First Scientific Diving Expedition at the Dead Sea*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHLiobkTUd0&t=20s). 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2024-09-04. – via YouTube.

1. ["21.09.2011 Springs of Life in the Dead Sea"](https://www.mpi-bremen.de/en/Springs-of-Life-in-the-Dead-Sea.html). *www.mpi-bremen.de*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["New Life-Forms Found at Bottom of Dead Sea"](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/110928-new-life-dead-sea-bacteria-underwater-craters-science). *Science*. 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. "Dead Sea researchers discover freshwater springs and numerous micro-organisms." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 September 2011. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927112546.htm>.

1. Ionescu, Danny; Siebert, Christian; Polerecky, Lubos; Munwes, Yaniv Y.; Lott, Christian; Häusler, Stefan; Bižić-Ionescu, Mina; Quast, Christian; Peplies, Jörg; Glöckner, Frank Oliver; Ramette, Alban; Rödiger, Tino; Dittmar, Thorsten; Oren, Aharon; Geyer, Stefan; Stärk, Hans-Joachim; Sauter, Martin; Licha, Tobias; Laronne, Jonathan B.; De Beer, Dirk (2012). "Microbial and Chemical Characterization of Underwater Fresh Water Springs in the Dead Sea". *PLOS ONE*. **7** (6). [Bibcode:2012PLoSO...738319I](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012PLoSO...738319I). [doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0038319](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0038319). [PMC 3367964](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3367964). [PMID 22679498](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22679498)

1. Watch extreme! - from Valley Deep to mountain high online (no date) Prime Video. Available at: [https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Extreme---From-Valley-Deep-to-Mountain-High/0KEO7MIWB3USSG9HPIGE0YWYRO](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Extreme---From-Valley-Deep-to-Mountain-High/0KEO7MIWB3USSG9HPIGE0YWYRO) (Accessed: 01 February 2024).

1. Ionescu, D. et al. (2015) 'Diversity of iron oxidizing and reducing bacteria in flow reactors in the ÄSPÖ Hard Rock Laboratory', Geomicrobiology Journal, 32(3–4), pp. 207–220. doi:10.1080/01490451.2014.884196.

1. Ionescu, D.; Spitzer, S.; Reimer, A.; Schneider, D.; Daniel, R.; Reitner, J.; de Beer, D.; Arp, G. (2015). ["Calcium dynamics in microbialite-forming exopolymer-rich mats on the atoll of K iritimati, R epublic of K iribati, C entral P acific"](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gbi.12120). *Geobiology*. **13** (2): 170–180. [Bibcode:2015Gbio...13..170I](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015Gbio...13..170I). [doi:10.1111/gbi.12120](https://doi.org/10.1111/gbi.12120). [ISSN 1472-4677](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1472-4677). [PMID 25515845](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25515845)

1. ["DFG - GEPRIS - FOR 571: Geobiology of Organo- and Biofilms: Coupling of the Geosphere and the Biosphere by Microbial Processes"](https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/5471545?language=en). *gepris.dfg.de*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["Riesenbakterium enthält Erbgut für eine ganze Bevölkerung"](https://idw-online.de/de/news680656). Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["A Lakeside Tale"](https://schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2017/09/a-lakeside-tale.html). 25 September 2017. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. Ionescu, Danny; Bizic-Ionescu, Mina; De Maio, Nicola; Cypionka, Heribert; Grossart, Hans-Peter (2017-09-06). "Community-like genome in single cells of the sulfur bacterium Achromatium oxaliferum". *Nature Communications*. **8** (1): 455. [Bibcode:2017NatCo...8..455I](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017NatCo...8..455I). [doi:10.1038/s41467-017-00342-9](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00342-9). [ISSN 2041-1723](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2041-1723). [PMC 5587575](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5587575). [PMID 28878209](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28878209)

1. ["Giant aquatic bacterium is a master of adaptation"](https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/news/giant-aquatic-bacterium-master-adaptation). *igb-berlin.de*. 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. Ionescu, Danny; Zoccarato, Luca; Schorn, Sina (2022-01-28). ["When it comes to the giant bacterium Achromatium, everything is everywhere"](https://www.thesciencebreaker.org/breaks/evolution-behaviour/when-it-comes-to-the-giant-bacterium-achromatium-everything-is-everywhere). *TheScienceBreaker*. **08**. [doi:10.25250/thescbr.brk613](https://doi.org/10.25250/thescbr.brk613). [ISSN 2571-9262](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2571-9262)

1. Ionescu, Danny; Zoccarato, Luca; Zaduryan, Artur; Schorn, Sina; Bizic, Mina; Pinnow, Solvig; Cypionka, Heribert; Grossart, Hans-Peter (2021). ["Heterozygous, Polyploid, Giant Bacterium, Achromatium, Possesses an Identical Functional Inventory Worldwide across Drastically Different Ecosystems"](https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/38/3/1040/5970467). *Molecular Biology and Evolution*. **38** (3): 1040–1059. [doi:10.1093/molbev/msaa273](https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa273). [PMC 7947748](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7947748). [PMID 33169788](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33169788). Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["DFG - GEPRIS - Eco-evolution and cellular functionality of the heterozygous bacterial genus Achromatium"](https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/465407921?language=en). *gepris.dfg.de*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["ORCID"](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4658-8597)

1. ["Google Scholar"](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=z-XVkFMAAAAJ)

1. ["PCI Genomics"](https://genomics.peercommunityin.org/public/user_public_page?userId=360). *genomics.peercommunityin.org*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["PCI Microbiol"](https://microbiol.peercommunityin.org/public/user_public_page?userId=33). *microbiol.peercommunityin.org*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. ["Danny Ionescu"](https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/165182/overview). Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. [http://www.nature.com](http://www.nature.com). Editors | Scientific Reports. [online] Available at: [https://www.nature.com/srep/about/editors#microbiology](https://www.nature.com/srep/about/editors#microbiology) [Accessed 1 Feb. 2024].

1. vimeo.com. #02 - Aquatic ecologist Dr. Mina Bizic (IGB): exploring life in water and dealing with dual careers in science. [online] Available at: [https://vimeo.com/470103616](https://vimeo.com/470103616) [Accessed 1 Feb. 2024].

1. ["ARIEL LOENESCU"](https://neuroscience-innovation.org/project-ariel-loenescu). *The HBP Curriculum - HBP Student Learning Needs*. Retrieved 2024-09-04.

1. [https://www.facebook.com/danny.ionescu/about_family_and_relationships](https://www.facebook.com/danny.ionescu/about_family_and_relationships)

1. SSI Certificate Gold 500 Diver. My.divessi.com. (n.d.). [https://my.divessi.com/code/thickbox/ccard_db_query.php?ccard_uid=797001Y4292798091053-IL](https://my.divessi.com/code/thickbox/ccard_db_query.php?ccard_uid=797001Y4292798091053-IL)

1. Blackburn, Nicky, and Karin Kloosterman. "Dead Sea Divers Discover New Forms of Life." ISRAEL21c, 12 Sept. 2012, www.israel21c.org/dead-sea-divers-discover-new-forms-of-life. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

## External links

- [Danny Ionescu's profile](https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/profile/danny-ionescu) on the website of [Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries](/source/Leibniz_Institute_of_Freshwater_Ecology_and_Inland_Fisheries)
- [Danny Ionescu's's publications](https://scholar.google.de/citations?user=bXONRK0AAAAJ&hl=de&oi=ao) at [Google Scholar](/source/Google_Scholar)
- [Danny Ionescu's publications](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=ionescu+Danny&sort=date) at [PubMed](/source/PubMed)
- [Danny Ionescu's publications](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4658-8597) at [ORCID](/source/ORCID)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Danny Ionescu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Ionescu) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Ionescu?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.