Ulrich Schurr

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schurr is the Head of the Institute for Plant Sciences (IBG-2) at Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany. He holds a professorship at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. His research focuses on plant growth dynamics, environmental interactions, and sustainable bioeconomy applications. The IBG-2 Institute operates five interlinked research areas: Jülich Plant Phenotyping Centre (JPPC), Growth/Metabolism, Transport, Ecosystems, and Enabling Technologies.

His work emphasizes quantitative analysis of plant processes through advanced methodologies like MRI and PET imaging. Key projects include studying nitrogen uptake mechanisms, phage-based biocontrol, and phenomics-driven crop improvement. The institute collaborates internationally through initiatives like EMPHASIS, fostering multi-scale plant phenotyping infrastructure. Schurr’s contributions address critical challenges in food security, resource efficiency, and transitioning industrial regions toward bioeconomies.

Research highlights include development of the GrowScreen and phenoPET technologies for root and carbon dynamics analysis. His team investigates perennial crops like Sida hermaphrodita for marginal land utilization and biofuel production, while also exploring algal biofilm systems for nutrient recovery from wastewater.