Curriculum vitae of Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Hartmut K. Lichtenthaler

Schools:

Universities:

Honors:

Book dedication

Other Activities:

Memberships:

Editorial Board of scientific journals:

Books:

Teaching subjects:

• Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
• Ecophysiology
• Biophysics of Plants

Research topics and main achievements in:

1. Physiology and Biochemistry of Photosynthesis
   • Ultrastructure and Adaptation of Chloroplasts: Plastoglobuli function, Sun- and shade chloroplasts, Thylakoid stacking
   • Light-induced Biosynthesis of the Photosynthetic Apparatus, including prenylquinone and carotenoid distribution between the two photosynthetic pigment systems
   • Pigment Composition of Chlorophyll-Carotinoid Protein-Complexes of photosynthetic biomembranes (CPI, CPIa, CPa, LHCPs)
   • Evaluation of the non-mevalonate DOXP/MEP Pathway of Isoprenoid Biosynthesis
     in Chloroplasts (in cooperation with Michel Rohmer, Strasbourg)
     • Biosynthesis of Chlorophylls, Carotenoids, Prenylquinones, Isoprene, Sterols, Saponines, etc.
     • Distribution of the DOXP/MEP pathway in Photosynthetic Organisms, Eubacteria and the malaria parasite Plasmodium
   • Plants as Test-System for new Drugs against Malaria and Pathogenic Bacteria
     (Inhibitors of the DOXP/MEP pathway)
   • Mode of Action of Herbicides and Antibiotics, active in Chloroplasts
     • Inhibitors of Photosynthesis [Bentazon, Diuron, Naphthoquinones]
     • Chlorose-inducing Herbicides [Amitrol, SAN 6706 etc.]
     • Inhibitors of Isoprenoid-Biosynthesis [Mevinolin ® HMG-CoA Reduktase;
       5-Ketoclomazone ® DOXP Synthase;  Fosmidomycin ®  DOXP-Reductase]
     • Inhibitors of de novo Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Chloroplasts, i.e. inhibitors of Acetyl-CoA, Carboxylase (ACC), Acetyl-CoA Synthetase (ACS), Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex (pPDHC), Fatty Acid Synthetase (FAS). [Compounds: Cycloxydim, Diclofop, Alkyl-adenylates, Acetylmethyl phosphinate, Cerulenin]
2. Stress Physiology and Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Plants
   • Forest Decline Research and Stress Physiology of Plants
   • Red Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Blue and Green Fluorescence Signatures of Leaves
   • Remote sensing of Vegetation Damage by passive Reflectance and active Laser-induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (EUREKA Project LASFLEUR EU 380)
   • Fluorescence Imaging of Plants and Fruits including analysis of phenolics and pigments (EU-Research Programs QAAFFI and INTERREG II)

Organization of Scientific Meetings:

Organization of Workshops:

General Scientific Activities:

• Participation in various international scientific meetings as chairman and organizer of special sessions about plant lipid metabolism, mode of action of herbicides, laser-induced chlorophyll fluorescence, reflectance spectra, function of the photosynthetic apparatus, stress detection and  remote sensing of terrestrial vegetation, as well as  chloroplast isoprenoid biosynthesis.
• Development of several Fluorescence Instruments and Spectrometers for the measurement of chlorophyll-fluorescence-inductions kinetics (Kautsky Effect) and an Instrument for Fluorescence Imaging of Plants (Blue and green fluorescence, red and far-red chlorophyll fluorescence).
• Active participation in international scientific programs (OECD, NASA, EUREKA-LASFLEUR, QAAFFI, INTERREG II, ESA-FLEX).
• Promotion of scientific cooperation and exchange of scientists within Europe, with colleagues of USA, and several other countries on photosynthesis, plant lipids, chlorophyll fluorescence,  fluorescence spectroscopy of plants as well as stress physiology, remote sensing and fluorescence imaging of plants. Integration of scientists of East European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia) into the Federation of European Societies of Plant Physiology FESPP (now FESPB), with official membership since 1988 in Split. Worldwide promotion of the ties between colleagues working on plant lipids, in spectroscopy, chlorophyll fluorescence and biophysics of plants as well as stress physiology and remote sensing (fluorescence imaging) of plants.
• Scientific co-operation:
  • with Hungarian Institutes of TU Budapest (Prof. Peter Richter, Doz. Dr. Lazslo Koczany), of the Eötvös University (ELTE) Budapest (Profs. Ferenc Lang and Zoltan Szigeti) and from 1980 -2009 with Szent Istvan University Gödöllö (Prof. Zoltan Tuba)
  • with Czech Institutes for Photosynthesis of the Academy of Sciences and University of Prague (Dr. Zdenek Sestak), with University of Budweis (Ceske Budejovice) (Prof. Jiri Santrucek, Dr. Pavel Siffel) as well as the Institute of Plant Physiology of the Mendel-Universität Brno (Prof. Stanislav Prochazka) since the mid 1970s and beginning 1980s.
• Close scientific co-operation with Prof. Michel Rohmer (Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg) on the Biosynthesis of Plant Isoprenoids in Plastids (Detection of the DOXP/MEP-Pathway of IPP biosynthesis in chloroplasts) 1993-2001, and with Dr. Joseph Miehé, GOA, CNRS, Strasbourg, on Fluorescence-Imaging of Plants, 1992-2001.
• Continuous scientific exchange with many American colleagues, such as the professors: Andrew A. Benson, Bob Buchanan, Melvin Calvin, Govindjee, Tasso Melis, John Ohlrogge, Tino A. Rebeiz, Barry Rock, Tom Sharkey