Porträt Jörg-Peter Schnitzler

Head of Research Unit Environmental Simulation at the Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology

Prof. Dr. Jörg-Peter Schnitzler

“I am fascinated by the interactions of so-called 'volatile organic compounds' which serve as a kind of 'nature's volatile alphabet' of communication between living things. A driving force for this research direction is also the importance of these compounds for biosphere-atmosphere exchange, climate, as well as human health. To be able to investigate these - for our society important - topics in the unique environmental simulation facilities at Helmholtz Munich together with partners from all over the world is a great incentive for me.”

Academic Pathway & Research Area

Jörg-Peter studied biology in Tübingen, Germany (PhD in 1992) with a focus on plant physiology and plant biochemistry. The time as a young postdoc fellow in Munich awoke his interests in tree stress physiology and environmental simulation. At the Fraunhofer Institute for Atmospheric Environmental Research (now Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), he became interested in biosphere-atmosphere exchange and discovered the fascinating world of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their significance for the chemistry of our atmosphere and climate and for the communication (the “chemical alphabet”) between living organisms. Since his return to Munich, he has been supervising one of the most advanced phytotron facilities and building new phenotyping platforms for the study of plant genotype-environment-microbe (G x E x M) interactions. Currently, his lab investigates volatile and non-volatile metabolomic networks in plants and microbes under stress and the biological and ecosystemic functions of VOCs under global change.

Fields of Work and Expertise

Plant Stress Physiology Biochemistry Environmental Simulation Metabolomics Biosynthesis and Emission of VOCs

Statement

Professional Background

2012

Head of Research Unit Environmental Simulation at Helmholtz Munich

2007

Adjunct Associated Professor at Albert-Ludwigs-University

1994 - 2011

Group Leader at Fraunhofer Institute of Atmospheric Environmental Research (now KIT IMK-IFU)

1992 - 1994

Postdoc at Institute of Biochemical Pathology GSF (now Helmholtz Munich)

1992

PhD in Plant Physiology at University of Tübingen

1992

PhD in Plant Physiology at University of Tübingen

1992

PhD in Plant Physiology at University of Tübingen

Recent Publications

Plant Biotechnol. J., DOI: 10.1111/pbi.70431 (2025)

Heine, P.A. ; Nosenko, T. ; Kistner, S. ; Oliphant, K.D. ; Hanke-Uhe, M. ; Shahid, A. ; Hu, B. ; Kucklick, M. ; Lehmler, N. ; Becker, M. ; Goerke, N. ; Korn, J.M. ; Linke, T. ; Meier, D.H. ; Perl, A. ; Polten, S. ; Priess, V. ; Schäckermann, D. ; Schubert, M. ; Schumacher, J. ; Winkler, J.B. ; Engelmann, S. ; Rennenberg, H. ; Schnitzler, J.-P. ; Dübel, S. ; Hust, M. ; Hänsch, R. ; Kaufholdt, D.

Phage display derived antibodies against antimicrobial peptide FsPDF2 reveal stress response in European beech.
Physiol. Plant. 177:e70626 (2025)

Xiao, X. ; Dussarrat, T. ; Ziaja, D. ; Seymen, Y.B. ; Brokate, L. ; Jakobs, R. ; Weber, B. ; Winkler, J.B. ; Schnitzler, J.-P. ; Müller, C.

Plastic responses to single and combined environmental stresses in a highly chemodiverse aromatic plant species.
Environ. Microbiome 20:104 (2025)

Mahmoud, F.M. ; Edelmann, H. ; Si, Y. ; Endrejat, L. ; Pritsch, K. ; Gutjahr, C. ; Ehrenreich, A. ; Winkelmann, T. ; Winkler, J.B. ; Schnitzler, J.-P. ; Schloter, M.

Transient colonization by Priestia megaterium B1L5 alters the structure of the rhizosphere microbiome towards potential plant beneficial bacterial groups in apple plantlets.
Plant Cell Environ., DOI: 10.1111/pce.70153 (2025)

Zhu, P. ; Weber, B. ; Rosenkranz, M. ; Polle, A. ; Ghirardo, A. ; Muhr, J. ; Vlot, A.C. ; Schnitzler, J.-P.

Volatile-mediated plant defense networks: Field evidence for isoprene as a short-distance immune signal.
Physiol. Plant. 177:e70432 (2025)

Meischner, M. ; Haberstroh, S. ; Kreuzwieser, J. ; Weber, B. ; Ghirardo, A. ; Schnitzler, J.-P. ; Werner, C.

Localized response of de novo terpenoid emissions through the jasmonate signaling cascade in two main European tree species.

Networks and Affiliations

Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute (TI) of Forest Genetics

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Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU)

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Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V.

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Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany

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DFG - Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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TUM - Technical University of Munich, Germany

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