Friedrich Frischknecht

Prof. Friedrich Frischknecht is a Professor of Integrative Parasitology at Heidelberg University's Medical Faculty, leading research on malaria parasite biology. His work focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of parasite motility, particularly in Plasmodium species during transmission from mosquitoes to vertebrates. He is affiliated with the Department of Infectious Diseases and serves as vice chair of the DFG Collaborative Research Center SFB 1129, co-director of the Biology of Parasitism course, and editor for Molecular Microbiology.

Education: Biochemistry training from the Free University of Berlin (1990-1996), PhD at EMBL Heidelberg (1996-2000), postdoc at Institut Pasteur (2001-2005). His lab employs reverse genetics, microscopy, and biophysics to study parasite formation, actin/myosin-driven motility, and 3D visualization of Plasmodium lifecycle stages. They also develop genetically attenuated parasites for vaccine research and diagnostic tools.

Research Interests: Microtubule and actin cytoskeleton roles in parasite shape and migration, host-pathogen interactions, and malaria transmission dynamics. Recent work explores environmental elasticity sensing and mechanical flexibility in parasites.

Grants/Advising: Active in collaborative projects (e.g., SPP 2332 PoP) and lab management. No explicit awards listed, but his leadership roles highlight recognition in parasitology.

Labs/Teams: Head of the Frischknecht Lab, collaborating with institutions like the Marine Biological Laboratory and industry partners (Intuity, Zendia) for diagnostic innovations.