Farewell to Professor Dr. Paul Schulze-Lefert
At the outset of 2026, Prof. Dr. Paul Schulze-Lefert, long-standing Director of the Department of Plant-Microbe, will enter retirement. Over more than 25 years at the helm of his department, he made significant contributions to plant immunity, microbiota research, and molecular plant–microbe interactions, shaping both the Institute and his field of research.
Under his leadership, key discoveries were made on how plants perceive pathogens, activate innate immune responses, and establish beneficial microbial communities at their surfaces. His work laid the foundation for modern concepts of plant immune signaling and plant-associated microbiota, with far-reaching implications for sustainable agriculture and crop improvement.
Paul Schulze-Lefert studied biochemistry and genetics at the Universities of Marburg, Freiburg, and Cologne. He completed his PhD on the regulation of gene expression in plants and pursued postdoctoral research at the MPIPZ before establishing his first independent research group at RWTH Aachen University in 1991. He later held a senior research position at the Sainsbury Laboratory at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, UK. In 2000, he returned to the MPIPZ as Director and Scientific Member, where he led the Department of Plant-Microbe Interactions. Since 2003, he has also served as an honorary professor at the University of Cologne.
Professor Schulze-Lefert’s scientific achievements have received broad international recognition. He is a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the American Academy of Microbiology. In 2010, he was elected to both the National Academy of Sciences (USA) and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. In 2024, he was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society, one of the highest distinctions in international science, and in 2025 he became a Fellow of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei in Italy.
To honor his scientific legacy, a farewell symposium entitled “Reflections, Progress, and Future Directions in Plant-Microbe Biology” was hosted, bringing together distinguished invited speakers from around the world. The symposium highlighted the profound impact of Paul Schulze-Lefert’s work on the field and combined personal anecdotes with reflections on the significance of his research and achievements.
Paul Schulze-Lefert is widely regarded as a visionary in his field and as a thoughtful strategist in science, skillfully navigating the landscape of research and collaboration.
The Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research warmly thanks Paul Schulze-Lefert for his leadership, his outstanding scientific contributions, and his commitment to mentoring generations of researchers. As an Emeritus, he will remain connected to the scientific community and continue to enrich scientific discourse with his experience and insight.
We wish him all the very best and many inspiring moments in this new chapter of his life.
