The Light Chasers
We are a diverse and curious group of scientists driven by a shared fascination with how plants sense and respond to light.
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Meet the Team
We believe in open science, asking bold questions, and supporting each other in both the lab and beyond. Whether you're a student, collaborator, or just curious, we’re always happy to connect!
PI
Kasper Van Gelderen
Kasper is the PI of the lab. He likes coffee, results, live music, and social events, although sadly, except for the coffee, there’s never enough of those. He earned his BSc and MSc degrees in Biology with a specialization in Cell Biology at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. For his PhD, he joined the Molecular and Developmental Genetics group at Leiden University under the guidance of Prof. Remko Offringa. There, he delved into the cell biology of plant transmembrane auxin transporters, particularly PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin transporters, and their regulation by the AGC3-type kinase PINOID (PID).
PhD. Candidate
Franziska Stamm
Hello, my name is Franziska and I am a PhD student in the lab. One of the things I really like about being a PhD student is meeting people from so many different nationalities and backgrounds. Another fact about me: if you might find me stressed or depressed, the best way to deal with me is by giving me food and everything will be fine again :) Before moving to Heidelberg, I did my BSc and MSc degrees in biology at Freiburg University with a specialization in Plant Sciences during my MSc. Among all the different fields of plant research, I kind of fell in love with light signaling. After doing my Master project about the signaling pathway of phytochrome B (phyB), the main receptor for red light responses in Arabidopsis thaliana, I stayed in the field and am now continuing with investigating the dynamics of phyB photobody formation under different light conditions.
PhD. Candidate
Subiya Haque
I am a PhD student in the lab. I like reading fiction way more than research articles, which explains the progress of my PhD. The best way to find me outside working hours would be to spot a cat and voilà, I will be there. Before moving to Germany, I was in India where I finished my Bachelors and Masters from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Tirupati. For my Masters, I was using molecular tools to capture the effect of fungal infection on Arabidopsis root architecture. During my PhD, I want to understand the effect of light and temperature on phyB photobody dynamics.
Postdoc
Alena Patnaik
Hello! I’m Alena Patnaik, a Postdoctoral researcher in the Light Signalling group, supported by the DFG Walter Benjamin Programme. Before moving to Heidelberg, I worked at the Umeå Plant Science Centre (Sweden), where I studied chloroplast proteostasis and the redox regulation of ClpC in light-driven GUN1 degradation. I completed my PhD at NISER, India, investigating how light signaling and the circadian clock protein GIGANTEA interact with auxin to control plant development and stress responses. I hold Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Plant Sciences, where my interest in photobiology and hormone signaling began. My current research focuses on the shoot-to-root transport of the transcription factor HY5. I am passionate about understanding how plants integrate environmental signals to grow, adapt, and survive. And, I still believe that good food and a good laugh can fix almost anything 😊
PhD. Candidate
Manisha Sahu
Hello, I'm Manisha. I've been a recipient of the DAAD scholarship and embarked on my PhD journey in October 2023 in the lab. My academic journey has been centered around my fascination with light signaling in plants. For my Master's degree at NISER, India, I delved into identifying and characterizing B-box genes in Beta vulgaris. This experience deepened my interest in photobiology, leading me to pursue the same field for my PhD. My research project focuses on exploring the function of COP1 bodies and their interaction with phyB photobodies in the context of light signaling. Outside of my academic pursuits, you'll often find me engaged in cooking, window shopping, styling hair, listening to music, or catching up on sleep. However, none of these hobbies can rival my tendencies towards overthinking and procrastination :). I find solace in organizing occasional crying sessions with friends as a coping mechanism for the stresses of PhD life.
Research Associate Scientist
Omar Heliel
Omar Heliel is a Research Associate Scientist with expertise in molecular biology, plant developmental biology, and genetic engineering, currently serving as a Lab Manager at the Group of Light Signaling. My academic journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from Cairo University, providing me with a solid foundation in the field. Following this, I worked as a Research Assistant at the Desert Research Center in Egypt, contributing to research focused on enhancing heat stress tolerance in transgenic tomatoes. Driven by my passion for innovation, I pursued a Master's degree at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh) in Crete, Greece, where my research was focused on plant stress response to salt stress. Continuing my pursuit of knowledge, I obtained my doctoral degree from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Germany. During my PhD studies, I tried to decipher the role of the HvRA2 gene in barley spike inflorescence development. I am dedicated to advancing scientific understanding and contributing to innovative solutions in molecular biology and plant biotechnology.
PhD. Candidate
Ahmad Ali
Hi, I am Ahmad Ali, and I am doing my PhD in this lab with support from a DAAD scholarship. What I really enjoy about being a PhD student here is meeting people from so many different backgrounds and cultures — it makes the lab feel very inspiring and alive. I also love the thrill of hunting for new findings in research. On a personal note, I really enjoy chai/tea, and sweets — simple things that always make me happy.
Before moving to Heidelberg, I completed my Master’s in Plant Biotechnology at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan. I began my PhD in October 2024, focusing on shoot-to-root light-mediated HY5 signaling. My project explores how light perceived in the shoot influences root development. I am very excited to learn, grow, and contribute to the research projects in our lab.
Master Thesis Student
Freddy Igiebor
Freddy Igiebor was a master’s student in the Molecular and Applied Plant Science programme at the University of Heidelberg. He has recently completed his master’s thesis, which investigated whether the Phytochrome B receptor can also function as a tissue-specific light information storage unit, potentially helping plants adapt more efficiently to changing environmental conditions. For his project, he focused on characterizing the biophysical properties of PhyB liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) behavior in collaboration with EMBL, and performed single-cell RNA sequencing to obtain transcriptional readouts. He also conducted several microscopy-based experiments, including FRAP.In addition to his scientific background, Freddy previously earned a master’s degree in Graphic Design. He is now pursuing a PhD in Plant Science at Wageningen University, the Netherlands.
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Master Thesis Student
Janina Schmidt
Molecular and Applied Plant Science student at the University of Heidelberg. She works on Phytochrome A.
Master Thesi Student
Seydin Erhan Gönül
Seydin Erhan Gönül is a master's student in Molecular and Applied Plant Sciences, interested in biochemistry, plant molecular genetics, and agriculture. Currently, I am working with Dr. Kasper van Gelderen’s group as a student assistant and intern. The current project he is working on aims to develop a tunable, microfluidics-based cell-free in vitro droplet system using nuclear extracts to study the biophysical properties of phytochrome B photobodies. Adaptating this approach will provide a physiologically relevant platform to uncover how photobodies form and function under changing light and temperature conditions. Beyond the academic works, he is interested in listening to and producing music, philosophy, reading tragedy, and playing video games.
Student Helper
Nic Schmidt
Hi, my name is Nic and I’m a MAPS student here in Heidelberg. I’m working as a student helper (HiWi) in the lab, assisting PhD students with their projects. In addition, I completed a lab rotation where I helped establish a proximity labeling assay together with Subiya.
Student Helper
Aditi Yadav
Aditi Yadav is a student helper and is doing a master in the Molecular and Cellular Biology program of Heidelberg University
Alumni
Our lab grew through the efforts of many great people. Thank you for the work we shared and the community we built together. Meet our former members below.
Charlotte Neumann
Master Thesis Student
2025
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Valentin Rebernig
Student helper
2025
Ivan Zubcic
Intership student
2025
Aidana Smagulova
Student Helper
2024
Suvarna Phatak Arbi
Master Thesis Student
2024
Minnie Leong
Master Thesis Student
2023