Franziska Matthäus

Professor Franziska Matthäus is a theoretical biologist at Goethe University Frankfurt and a Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS). Her research focuses on mathematical modeling of spatiotemporal processes in biological systems, particularly cell motility and pattern formation. She leads an active research group within the Life- and Neurosciences department, collaborating extensively with experimental partners to develop models that bridge microscale cellular processes with population-level behavior.

Dr. Matthäus earned her doctorate summa cum laude from the University of Warsaw in 2005 after studying biophysics at Humboldt University of Berlin. She held postdoctoral positions at the University of Heidelberg, where she became head of the research group "Complex Biological Processes" in 2011. In 2016, she accepted a junior professorship at the University of Würzburg before joining Goethe University Frankfurt and FIAS, where she currently holds a Giersch endowed professorship.

Her research employs agent-based models, partial differential equations, and image analysis techniques to study cell motility, pattern formation, and tissue dynamics. Her group develops mathematical models describing individual cells and large cell populations, incorporating internal signaling processes and interactions with chemical and mechanical environments. Current projects investigate embryo development, cancer cell migration, organoid dynamics, and pattern formation in biological systems. They use advanced computational methods including GPU implementations for efficient simulations and have developed specialized tools like a Julia package for 3D particle image velocimetry.

Professor Matthäus has organized significant academic initiatives including "The Beauty of Theoretical Biology" project with Springer Publishing, which collects scientific images from theoretical biology research for publication and exhibition. Her publication record shows consistent output across mathematical biology, with recent work focusing on vertex models, pattern formation mechanisms, and advanced image analysis techniques for studying cellular dynamics.

• Giersch endowed professorship at Goethe University

She actively supervises PhD students including Camile Kunz, Zoë Lange, Tim Liebisch, Marc Pereyra, and Rutian Zhou, guiding them in research projects that combine mathematical modeling with biological applications. Her teaching includes courses in computational biology, bioinformatics, and theoretical biology for both bachelor's and master's students at Goethe University. She offers specialized modules in the Physical Biology of Cells and Cell Interactions (PBioC) program, emphasizing hands-on research experience with data analysis, modeling, and simulation techniques.

Professor Matthäus maintains strong international collaborations and has contributed to numerous interdisciplinary research projects, particularly those bridging mathematics, physics, and biology. Her work has applications in understanding metastasis formation, parasite-host interactions, and embryonic development processes.