Kai Johnsson

Prof. Kai Johnsson holds dual appointments as Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Director of the Department of Chemical Biology at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg, Germany. His career spans chemical biology, protein engineering, and biosensor development with significant contributions to live-cell imaging technologies.

• 1988: Diploma in Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
• 1992: PhD in Chemistry, ETH Zürich, Switzerland

Johnsson's research pioneers chemical tools for cellular interrogation, specializing in protein labeling techniques (SNAP/CLIP-tag systems), semisynthetic biosensors for metabolites like NAD+, and fluorogenic probes enabling super-resolution microscopy. His work bridges chemical synthesis and cell biology to visualize molecular processes in real-time, with applications in diagnostics and fundamental signal transduction studies. Key innovations include point-of-care metabolic assays and elucidating off-target drug effects on tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthesis.

His publication record (2003-2018) reveals a consistent trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated dynamic cellular imaging and diagnostic biosensors. Early work established foundational protein labeling methods, while recent studies focus on clinical translation through semisynthetic sensors and metabolic mapping tools, demonstrating seamless integration of chemical biology with medical applications.

Key recognitions include:

• Karl-Heinz-Beckurts-Preis (2016)
• EMBO Membership (2013)
• Novartis Lectureship Award (2012-2013)
• Prix APLE for invention of the year 2003 (EPFL)

Johnsson has directed major research initiatives including the Swiss NCCR Chemical Biology program (SFR 4M/year budget) and serves on editorial boards of Science and Chemical Society Reviews. His mentorship has cultivated numerous researchers through EPFL's bioengineering programs, though specific advisees aren't documented here.

As Director of the Chemical Biology Department at Max Planck, he leads the SFB/TRR186 Molecular Switches consortium studying spatio-temporal cellular signaling. His lab develops next-generation molecular probes used globally, with patented technologies licensed to companies like Spirochrome for commercial applications in live-cell imaging.