Kurt Schmoller

Dr. Kurt Schmoller is a Group Leader at Helmholtz Munich, heading the Schmoller Lab within the Institute of Functional Epigenetics (IFE). His research focuses on understanding how cells regulate their size, maintain organelle homeostasis during growth, and adjust protein composition according to cell size. The lab employs interdisciplinary approaches combining quantitative biology, live-cell microscopy, AI-based image analysis, and mathematical modeling.

Dr. Schmoller received his Diploma in Biophysics from TU München (2004-2008), followed by PhD studies at TU München in Andreas Bausch's lab (2008-2012), where he studied the mechanics of in vitro reconstituted cytoskeletal networks. He then pursued postdoctoral research at Stanford University with Jan Skotheim (2012-2017), developing his interest in cell size regulation. Since 2017, he has led the 'Cell Size and Organelle Control' research group at Helmholtz Munich.

His research spans four main areas: Maintenance and Adaptation of Cell Size, Histone Homeostasis, Mitochondrial DNA Maintenance, and AI for live-cell imaging data analysis. Using model organisms including budding yeast (S. cerevisiae) and green algae (C. reinhardtii), his lab investigates fundamental cellular processes that are broadly conserved across eukaryotes. His work has significant implications for understanding diseases like cancer where cell size regulation is often disrupted.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on the relationship between cell size and various cellular processes, with particular attention to histone regulation, mitochondrial DNA homeostasis, and the development of AI tools for image analysis. His work bridges molecular biology, biophysics, and computational approaches to address fundamental questions in cell biology.

Dr. Schmoller leads a diverse research team including postdocs, doctoral researchers, and technicians working across multiple projects. His lab has developed notable tools such as Cell-ACDC, an open-source software for bioimage analysis that has been adopted by multiple laboratories. The lab maintains strong collaborations across institutions and participates in the broader 'Epigenetics at Helmholtz Munich' initiative.

The Schmoller Lab operates from the Neuherberg Campus (Building 35.26 / Room 014) and maintains an active presence through their lab website, BioRxiv, and GitHub repositories. Their work receives support from Helmholtz Munich's infrastructure and resources, including access to advanced microscopy facilities and computational resources for AI-based image analysis.