Event Short Talks and Discussion: Engineering Life – from Genomes to Organs
Press Release No. 41/2026
11 May 2026
Rüdiger Rudolf and Daniel Schindler to speak in the series “Bio(R)evolution – New Faces, New Ideas, New Horizons”
Bioengineering meets synthetic genomics: in a joint event, Prof. Dr Rüdiger Rudolf and Prof. Dr Daniel Schindler will report on their current research and invite the specialist academic community, along with an interested non-university public, to join in discussing the possible societal impacts of their work. The two short talks, followed by a moderated panel discussion, are part of the series “Bio(R)evolution – New Faces, New Ideas, New Horizons”. With this series, Heidelberg University’s Faculty of Biosciences wants to give its newly appointed or coopted professors a platform to present their visionary research questions and, at the same time, highlight the relevance of basic research at Ruperto Carola for tackling major societal challenges. The event, in English, is taking place on 18 May 2026.
Prof. Rudolf’s research focuses on engineering and analyzing complex cellular and tissue systems. With the aim of decoding cellular signaling, the interplay of the nervous system and musculature, and tissue organization, he uses modern imaging processes in connection with 3D cell cultures, organoid models as well as biosensorics. His work aims to bridge the gap between molecular processes and organ-level function. In his talk, the scientist will explain why this is important for biological research and how it may also enable innovations in biomedical research and drug development. Rüdiger Rudolf is Professor of Biosensorics at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Mannheim and has, since 2024, been a coopted member of the Faculty of Biosciences of Heidelberg University.
Prof. Schindler with his team at the Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University conducts research at the interface between synthetic biology and genomics. In order to better understand biological systems and translate the findings into new biotechnological applications, he investigates on microbial systems how genomes can be designed, constructed and reprogrammed. To do so, Prof. Schindler combines computer-supported design processes with modern DNA assembly methods and automated biotechnological approaches. He will talk about the significance of synthetic microorganisms as a standard tool in both basic research and industrial applications. Before transferring to Heidelberg, Daniel Schindler directed the MaxGENESYS Biofoundry core facility at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg. In 2025 he was appointed Professor of Microbiology at Ruperto Carola’s Faculty of Biosciences.
The event “Engineering Life: From Genomes to Organs” in the series “Bio(R)evolution – New Faces, New Ideas, New Horizons” encompasses the talks by Prof. Rudolf and Prof. Schindler, which will each take 20 to 25 minutes. The moderated panel discussion will follow, exploring the broader societal implications of their research. The public event on Monday, 18 May 2026, is taking place in the Bertalanffy Lecture Hall at the Centre for Organismal Studies, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, starting at 6 p.m. There will be an opportunity for informal exchange afterwards.