FIAS Fellow Sebastian Thallmair was appointed today as a W2 professor at Goethe University Frankfurt. He will join the Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Pharmacy on April 15, 2026. In parlallel, he will continue to serve as a research group leader at FIAS.

Thallmair joined FIAS in 2020 after his Ph.D. in Munich and a postdoc in Groningen. Here, he conducts research on subcellular architectures and the development and characterization of light-controlled molecules that can be switched back and forth between two structures. His group aims to understand why one of the two structures interacts very strongly with a particular protein, while the other interacts weakly. To this end, they design and simulate molecules on the computer that interact with specific proteins—and play a role in diseases. Thallmair uses methods with varying spatial and temporal resolutions—quantum chemistry, atomistic molecular dynamics, and coarse-grained models. This simplifies the analysis of the molecules and also allows for the description of larger (bio)molecular systems.

His research area is part of the successfully funded SCALE Cluster of Excellence: “We want to better understand the function and behavior of cells,” says Thallmair. “To do this, we model the molecules in cells at different resolutions and simulate subcellular structures with high-performance computers". Using various methods, teams from Goethe University, FIAS, and other research institutions are investigating the building blocks of cells and creating digital twins of them. In doing so, they are contributing to a better understanding of the function of healthy cells and attempting to elucidate the mechanisms of diseases. Thallmair’s team is helping to develop innovative therapies using light-controlled molecules.

“The professorship enables me to continue and expand my research in Frankfurt,” says Thallmair. “The Riedberg Campus offers excellent conditions for this.” In addition, as part of the professorship, Thallmair will establish an innovative teaching program in the field of computer-aided molecular sciences. Last year, he received the Director’s Award for Excellent Mentoring. With this award, the FIAS recognized his significant commitment to the Frankfurt International Graduate School for Science (FIGSS). “The support from FIAS was a key component of this success. It allowed me to advance my ambitious scientific projects and reach this milestone.”

FIAS extends its warmest congratulations and is looking forward to continued collaboration and close networking with Goethe University.