Torsten Semmler currently works at the research group "Microbial Genomics" at the Robert Koch Institute. Here we focus on the mechanisms of the evolution and spread of bacterial pathogens in humans as well as in animals. Most methods that we use are genomic approaches that are combined with phenotypic analyses to understand the virulence, transmission and host-interactions of the bacteria. An important theme of our research activities is the understanding of Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) which is one of the most essential evolutionary forces in the development of the bacteria in the presence.