Susanne Thiele, born in Bernburg in 1970, studied microbiology and biochemistry at the Technical University of Braunschweig and combined her studies with science journalism.
She finds biology and evolution as exciting as a thriller. She co-authored the told-style non-fiction book “Sex macht Spaß, aber viel Mühe – Eine Entdeckungsreise zur schönsten Sache der Welt” (“Sex is fun, but a lot of effort – A journey of discovery into the most beautiful thing in the world”), published by Orell Füssli in 2014 and in paperback by Dumont in 2017.
His first own microbiological non-fiction book “Zu Risiken und Nebenwirkungen fragen Sie Ihre Türklinke” (“Ask your door handle about risks and side effects”) was published by Heyne Verlag in 2019 and has been translated into several languages.
Her science thrillers “Probe 12” (“Sample 12”) on antibiotic-resistant germs and “TOXIN” on permafrost pathogens, co-authored with Kathrin Lange, were published by Lübbe in 2021 and 2023.
The science thrillers are characterized by the fine interweaving of real scientific facts and exciting fiction. “Probe 12” – was included in the ZEIT Science Thriller Edition 2022.
“Toxin” was nominated for the young screenplay competition “Krimi x Klima” at the German Television Thriller Festival in 2025.
Susanne Thiele regularly leads writing groups for non-fiction authors and gives workshops for writing enthusiasts on nature-based writing in cooperation with the “Green School” of the Technical University of Braunschweig and the Braunschweig Botanical Garden.
When she is not writing books, Susanne Thiele heads the PR department at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig and also works in the field of climate change, health and infections. The author writes for newspapers or on her blog “Mikrobenzirkus” and is also a guest on TV and YT formats such as Arte Saloon.
Susanne Thiele lives with her family in Braunschweig.
I am involved with Climate Fiction Writers Europe because, as an author, biologist and science journalist, I want to raise awareness of the challenges of the climate crisis through fact-based and exciting stories and bring scientific perspectives into literature.
When science journalist Nina Falkenberg visits her former mentor Anasias in Georgia, she finds herself in the middle of a deadly attack on him. Beforehand, however, he is able to reveal to Nina that he has succeeded in finding a drug against the world’s most dangerous multi-resistant germs. Is that why he had to die? Together with food hunter Tom Morell, whose daughter has contracted one of these germs, Nina tries to trace the research results. But Nina and Tom are not the only ones after Anasias’ research, and their opponents do not shy away from kidnapping, blackmail or murder.
When homeless people die of anthrax in Berlin, science journalist Nina Falkenberg is alarmed. The cases are reminiscent of an event in Alaska 10 years ago, when the thawing of the permafrost released a deadly pathogen. Also in Alaska, Nina’s friend, anthrax researcher Gereon Kirchner, disappears. Nina asks her friend Tom Morell to travel there and find out what happened. Shortly after Tom’s arrival, a woman’s body turns up in an ice tunnel. Is Gereon to blame for her death? Is he even involved in the agonizing deaths of the homeless in Berlin?
While Tom and Nina try to shed light on the situation, they realize that they are fighting a much more powerful opponent than they thought …
We cannot see them and yet we live together with billions of them: Microbes. They populate our bathroom, make themselves at home in our bedroom and enjoy themselves in our kitchen. Microbiologist Susanne Thiele explains how we can successfully keep bacteria, viruses and fungi in check and which ones are even beneficial to us and our health in a well-founded and entertaining way.
With lots of tips for proper hygiene in everyday life and for a healthy life with our “lodgers”.