Theobald Lohmueller

PD Dr. Theobald Lohmueller is a Senior Lecturer at the Chair of Photonics and Optoelectronics (Photonik und Optoelektronik) within the Faculty of Physics at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU). His research focuses on Bioplasmonics, Photonics on Membranes, and Optical Manipulation, with applications in biophysics and biomedical engineering. He leads a research group investigating light-matter interactions in biological systems, including optical control of lipid membranes and nanoparticle-based sensing technologies.

Education & Career:

• 2017: Habilitation and venia legendi in Physics, LMU Munich
• 2011: Group leader at the Chair for Photonics and Optoelectronics, LMU
• 2009–2011: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UC Berkeley (Department of Chemistry & Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
• 2004–2008: PhD student, Max Planck Institute for Metals Research (Stuttgart) & Heidelberg University

Research Highlights:

• Developed photoswitchable phospholipids for optical control of membrane processes and drug delivery.
• Pioneered optical trapping and manipulation of plasmonic nanoparticles for biosensing and cell engineering.
• Advanced surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using DNA-origami nanoantennas.

Awards & Grants:

• 2016 and 2014 CeNS Publication Awards (Best junior scientist)
• Klaus Tschira Award (2009) for public science communication
• German Research Foundation (DFG) Post-Doc Fellowship (2009)

Labs & Collaborations: His lab integrates nanophotonics, biophysics, and materials science, collaborating with institutions like the Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and the Center for NanoScience (CeNS). Key projects include developing plasmonic sensors for real-time biological monitoring and AI-driven analysis of membrane dynamics.