Group Members

Jump To: PhD Students, Postdocs, Interns, Staff, Alumni
Looking for Dr. Julia Thorn-Seshold's Redox Biology group? see Uni Hospital Dresden

See also our Group Members' Awards & Recognitions page.
Interested in joining our group? visit the Positions, Scholarships, & App Pack pages.
Or, check through our BlueSky & Bsky #ChemBio community starter packs.

PhD Students

Carina Schmitt, M. Sc
(M.Sc: Thorn-Seshold)
Carina joined us for her OC-F Prak on redox (2020), returned for her MSc in chemical-genetic photocontrol (2021), then started her PhD in 2022 to expand these concepts and bring them together, all while tackling a new element in the TS lineup (Studienstiftung PhD scholar; ACIE; JACS; Redox Biol).
; E05

Jan Philip Prohaska, M.Sc
(M.Sc: Carreira, ETH Zürich)
Jan rejoined us for his PhD in October 2024, after doing his OC-F praktikum with Markus on photoacoustics fundamentals in 2022. He aims to unite the several novel concepts needed for high-performance photocontrol over cytoskeleton biology, as the culmination of our 10 years' work on microtubule photocontrol (VCI Kekule PhD scholar; BioRxiv).
; E07

Alexander Wiegand, M.Sc
(M.Sc: Carreira, ETH Zürich)
Alexander will rejoin us for his PhD in 2025, after an OC-F Prak on redox probes in 2022 (JACS), and 2 HiWis on NIR photoswitching and fluorescence stabilisation in 2023-2024 (ChemRxiv, ChemRxiv, & patent app 18/737,536). He now aims to pioneer the conceptual framework for generalised high-performance photocontrol over receptors and signaling circuits.
; E07

Postdocs

Dr. Martin Reynders
(M.Sc & PhD: Trauner, NYU)
Martin joined us in 2021 with experience in photopharmacology, synthesis and chemical biology. He works on photoswitchable tools for protein control in cells (SPP1926 Young Investigator grant; CeNS Young Investigator award; ACIE*; ChemRxiv; Chem Sci; ChemRxiv; BioRxiv).
; E05

Dr. Markus Müller
(M.Sc: TaGulder, TUM; PhD: Thorn-Seshold)
Markus joined us for his PhD in 2019, researching photoresponsive TRP channel probes, and pushing the conceptual boundaries of optical probe methodology, while taking in an Externship with Evan Miller (Berkeley). He took his PhD summa cum laude and now continues further work on optical probes (Exploration Grant co-applicant; BaCaTec scholar; Joachim Herz fellow; ACIE; BioRxiv; ACIE; ChemRxiv*).
; E32

Interns & Research SHKs

Johanna Prause (BSc with Martin on protein degrader PROTACs; then SHK)
Anna Förstel (RE2, then MSc, with Martin & Carina, on photoswitchable lipids)
Leon Haufe (RE1 with Alexander on photoswitchable ion channel ligands)
Luisa Hohmann (RE1 with Jan)
Maxim Wermter (RE1 with Alexander on photoswitchable ion channel ligands)
David Bosse (RE1 with Jan on total synthesis)

Writing Up / Defending

Philipp Mauker, M. Sc
(M.Sc: Thorn-Seshold; Industry: Bayer; PhD Ex: Urano, Tokyo)
Philipp joined us for his MSc in 2019 on controlling cell entry and cell exit. He returned in 2020 for his PhD, and added studies of high-precision photochemical tagging methods (Studienstiftung PhD scholar; Joachim Herz fellow; JACS; ACIE; Chem Sci; BioRxiv; patent app LU602798).
; defending soon

Lucas Dessen Weissenhorn (LMU Group)
(MD/PhD medical student program)
Lucas joined us from 03.2023 for his MD/PhD thesis on basic and translational redox biology, working at the intersections of chemical probes, cell biology, and disease models for inflammation and ferroptosis (FöFoLe MD/PhD scholar; BioRxiv; Chem Sci; ACIE).
; writing up

Carmen Zecha (LMU Group)
(MD/PhD medical student program)
Carmen joined us from 09.2023 for her MD/PhD thesis on basic and translational chemical biology, working at the intersections of chemical probes, photophysics, imaging and cell biology (BioRxiv).
; writing up

Joining Soon

recent hires joining soon to kickstart our biology:

Technician in Biology & Chemical Biology (Feb 2026)
Postdoc in Cell Biology & Imaging (April 2026)
Postdoc in Chemical Biology (May 2026)

Staff

Dr. Ingmar Bauer
Akademische Rat
Ingmar has been Senior Scientist at the Chair of Organic Chemistry since 2004. He teaches the Synthesis and Reactivity part of the MSc Heterocyclic Chemistry course and runs the "OC Grundpraktikum" practical component within the Organic Chemistry II module.
; E33, +49-351-463-32489

Philipp Holling
Chemical Technical Assistant
Philipp joined the Chair in 2021 with chemical technician experience in industry. He is responsible for chemistry lab setup, equipment maintenance, and assistance with the practical courses.
; E28; +49-351-463-35650

Monique Mildner
Secretary
Monique joined the Chair in 2021 and coordinates the administration and book-keeping in the group.
; E30; +49-351-463-34271