Karin Köhl

Dr. Karin Köhl is a Researcher and Service Group Leader at the Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie in Potsdam, Germany. She specializes in plant stress responses, particularly drought tolerance in potato and Arabidopsis. Her work integrates genetics, metabolomics, and advanced phenotyping techniques to identify biomarkers and improve crop resilience. Köhl holds a Diplom (1991) and Ph.D. (1995) from the University of Düsseldorf, followed by postdoctoral research at Oxford University and the MPI-MP. Her research emphasizes translating controlled environment studies into real-world ecological relevance, addressing challenges like light quality effects, container-based stress assays, and field validation. Key contributions include developing software tools for phenotypic data management and advancing understanding of ion transport in photosynthesis and freezing tolerance.

Research interests focus on:

• Abiotic stress biology (drought, cold, salinity)
• Genetic and metabolic basis of stress adaptation
• High-throughput phenotyping and data integration
• Climate-resilient crop development

Publications highlight innovative approaches in:

• Whole-genome sequencing for drought tolerance in potatoes
• LIDAR-based phenotyping for non-destructive stress analysis
• Thylakoid ion transport mechanisms in photosynthetic acclimation

Laboratory activities center on the Plant Cultivation/Transformation service group, supporting cutting-edge plant physiology research with advanced cultivation and transformation infrastructure.