Paul Schulze-Lefert

Paul Schulze-Lefert is Director of the Department of Plant Microbe Interactions at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIPZ) in Cologne, Germany, and Honorary Professor at the University of Cologne. His research bridges genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry to study plant-microbe interactions, with focus areas including:

• Structure/function of Arabidopsis root microbiota (ERC Advanced Grant ROOTMICROBIOTA)
• Intracellular immune sensors and non-self perception mechanisms
• Evolutionary conservation of NLR-triggered immunity

His work explores how plants distinguish beneficial microbes from pathogens, and how root microbiota influence nutrient uptake and disease resistance. Research utilizes Arabidopsis, barley, and Lotus japonicus models to decode immune receptor functions and microbial community assembly.

Major scientific honors include election to the National Academy of Sciences (USA), German National Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina), and American Academy of Microbiology. He co-founded AgBiome to translate microbiome research into crop protection solutions.

Dr. Schulze-Lefert leads an active research group with 6+ PhD students/postdocs investigating:

• Bacterial root endophytes
• NLR receptor biochemistry
• Microbiota-mediated nutrient cycling
• Cross-kingdom immune mechanisms

Current projects include ERC-funded work on root microbiota evolutionary trajectories and structural studies of immune receptors.