John Baines is Professor of Evolutionary Genomics at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel since April 2009.  As part of the Excellence Cluster "Inflammation at Interfaces", he has a dual appointment in both the Medical Faculty of the CAU (Institute for Experimental Medicine) and at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in nearby Plön.  His working group operates laboratories at both the University Clinic Schleswig-Holstein (UK-SH), Campus Kiel and at the MPI in Plön, serving as a bridge between research in evolutionary biology and medicine. Topics in his group include the evolution of disease genes and the genetic basis of interactions between mammalian hosts and their commensal microbiota, particularly in relation to chronic inflammatory disorders. The lab is also a participating member of the newly founded International Max Planck Research School for Evolutionary Biology in cooperation with the University of Kiel.