Thomas Schmülling

Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmülling is a Professor and Head of the Department of Applied Genetics at the Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin. He leads the Schmülling Group focusing on Molecular Developmental Biology of Plants. His academic journey includes a Diploma in Biology (1986) and a Dr. rer. nat. (1989) from the University of Cologne, followed by habilitation in Genetics at the University of Tübingen (1997).

• Professional roles: Chair of Molecular Developmental Biology of Plants since 2001, Head of Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences (2009–2021), and Speaker of the Graduate School of Molecular Plant Sciences (since 2009).
• Editorial roles: Associate Editor of Biologia Plantarum, BMC Plant Biology, and Frontiers in Plant Sciences.
• Awards: Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize (1990), Memory Medal (2008), Olchemim Science Award (2014).

His research emphasizes plant genetics, developmental processes, and molecular mechanisms in plant physiology. He has held visiting professorships at Université Marie et Pierre Curie (Paris) and contributed to collaborative research centers (CRCs) on plant stress responses and metabolism.