About the Lab
The Lichtenthaler Lab focuses on understanding photosynthesis and plant stress responses at the physiological, biochemical, and optical levels. A central aim of the lab is to uncover how plants adapt their photosynthetic machinery—particularly chlorophylls, carotenoids, and related lipids—to changing environmental conditions such as light intensity, shading, pruning, senescence, and chemical stress.
A hallmark of the lab’s work is the use and development of chlorophyll fluorescence techniques as powerful, non-invasive tools to quantify photosynthetic activity and detect early stress responses in plants. Multi-color fluorescence imaging is employed to visualize spatial and temporal changes in photosynthetic efficiency, pigment composition, and herbicide effects directly in leaves. In parallel, the lab investigates the biosynthesis, composition, and physiological roles of plant prenyllipids, including chlorophylls, carotenoids, plastoquinones, and tocopherols, which are essential for light harvesting, photoprotection, and membrane function.
Applications of this research range from basic insights into plant physiology and chloroplast function to practical relevance in agriculture, forestry, and environmental monitoring, such as early detection of plant stress, assessment of herbicide action, and evaluation of plant performance under climate-related stress.
The Lichtenthaler Lab is well suited for students interested in plant biology, photosynthesis, or environmental physiology. Ideal candidates are curious about plant–environment interactions, enjoy experimental work, and are motivated to apply optical, biochemical, and physiological methods to living systems.