Stefan A. Rensing
Stefan Andreas Rensing (born June 1967) is a German plant biologist,[1] bioinformatician, and university administrator.[2] He is professor of Data Integration and Systems Modelling of Eukaryotic Model Organisms at the University of Freiburg and has served as vice president for Research and Innovation at the university since 2021.[3] His research focuses on plant evolution,[4] comparative genomics,[5] bioinformatics, and systems biology, with particular emphasis on bryophytes and the transition of plants from aquatic to terrestrial environments.[6]
He is a member of German Botanical Society (DBG),[7] the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO), the International Association of Bryologists (IAB), the International Society of Endocytobiology (ISE), and the German Life Sciences Association (VBIO).[8]
Early life and education
[edit]Rensing studied biology at the University of Freiburg, receiving a Diplom degree in 1993. He completed his doctoral degree (Dr. rer. nat.) in cell biology in 1995 under the supervision of Peter Sitte and Uwe-G. Maier. In 2007, he obtained his habilitation in bioinformatics and systems biology from the University of Freiburg.[9]
Academic career
[edit]Following completion of his doctorate, Rensing held postdoctoral appointments at the University of Bayreuth from 1995 to 1996, the University of Freiburg from 1996 to 1998, and the Federal Institute for Viticulture from 1998 to 1999. From 1999 to 2003, he served as a senior scientist and laboratory head at BASF Plant Science and the University of Freiburg, where he worked on functional genomics using the moss Physcomitrium patens.[3] He subsequently became head of the Computational Biology Group at the University of Freiburg, focusing on transcriptomics, genome annotation, comparative genomics, and phylogenomics.[9] Between 2007 and 2008, Rensing directed the Core Facility for Data Management within the Freiburg Initiative for Systems Biology (FRISYS).[10]
In 2012, Rensing was appointed Professor of Plant Cell Biology at the University of Marburg. He was promoted to a W3 professorship in 2019 and served as Vice Dean and then Dean of the Department of Biology.[11]
In December 2020, the Senate and University Council of the University of Freiburg elected Rensing as vice president for Research and Innovation. He assumed office in 2021. Since 2022, he has held a W3 professorship for Data Integration and Systems Modelling of Eukaryotic Model Organisms at the University of Freiburg.[3]
Research and scholarly work
[edit]Rensing's research focuses on plant evolution,[1] comparative genomics,[5] bioinformatics, systems biology, and molecular plant biology.[12] Much of his work has centered on bryophytes, particularly the moss Physcomitrium patens (formerly Physcomitrella patens), which he has helped establish as a model organism for studying plant evolution, development, and the transition of plants from aquatic to terrestrial environments.[13] His research integrates genome sequencing,[14] transcriptomics, phylogenomics, and computational biology to investigate the origins and diversification of land plants.[15]
Rensing has contributed to international genome sequencing and comparative genomics projects involving plants, algae,[16] fungi, and other eukaryotic organisms.[17] He has participated in genome consortia for species including Physcomitrium patens,[5] Ceratodon purpureus, Funaria hygrometrica,[18] Takakia lepidozioides, Selaginella moellendorffii, Chara braunii, Azolla filiculoides and Volvox carteri.
Rensing has authored or co-authored more than 200 scientific publications and has served on the editorial board of The Plant Journal.[19]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 Zimmer, Carl (2019-11-14). "How Did Plants Conquer Land? These Humble Algae Hold Clues". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Maldacker, Anika (2021-02-08). "Zellbiologe Stefan Rensing wird Prorektor der Uni Freiburg". Badische Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- 1 2 3 "Stefan Rensing becomes Vice President for Research and Innovation - BIOSS". Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ Claussen, Arne (2022-06-20). "Trends in Plant Science cover story: evolutionary biology". www.hhu.de (in German). Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- 1 2 3 Bi, Guiqi. "Researchers present near-complete genome version of spreading earth moss". Archived from the original on 2024-02-09. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ Mueller, Kim-Kristine; Pfeifer, Lukas; Wegner, Linus; Ehlers, Katrin; Classen, Birgit (2025). "New insights into bryophyte arabinogalactan-proteins from a hornwort and a moss model organism". The Plant Journal: For Cell and Molecular Biology. 123 (1) e70312. Bibcode:2025PlJ...12370312M. doi:10.1111/tpj.70312. ISSN 1365-313X. PMC 12209756. PMID 40589202.
- ↑ Pucker, Boas. "Executive and Extended Committee (2025 - 2026)". www.deutsche-botanische-gesellschaft.de. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ "plantco.de - the Rensing lab pages". plantco.de. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- 1 2 "Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Stefan A. Rensing" (PDF). BIOSS.
- ↑ "Freiburg Initiative for Systems Biology Performs Transcriptomics with Genedata Expressionist". www.genedata.com. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ "Section Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology in the DBG". www.pflanzen-molekularbiologie.de. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Steiner, Von Thomas (2023-10-25). "Es ist erstaunlich, was an der Universität Freiburg alles geforscht wird". Badische Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Rensing, Stefan A.; Goffinet, Bernard; Meyberg, Rabea; Wu, Shu-Zon; Bezanilla, Magdalena (May 2020). "The Moss Physcomitrium (Physcomitrella) patens: A Model Organism for Non-Seed Plants". The Plant Cell. 32 (5): 1361–1376. Bibcode:2020PlanC..32.1361R. doi:10.1105/tpc.19.00828. ISSN 1532-298X. PMC 7203925. PMID 32152187.
- ↑ Price, D. C. "Origin of photosynthesis revealed by a 'living fossil'". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Zeitung, Badische (2025-01-22). "Freiburger Forscher sollen Landwirtschaft widerstandsfähig machen und bekommen Geld vom Land". Badische Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Ying, Irene. "International collaboration finds land plant genes in ancient aquatic alga". Eureka. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Sun, Guiling; Bai, Shenglong; Guan, Yanlong; Wang, Shuanghua; Wang, Qia; Liu, Yang; Liu, Huan; Goffinet, Bernard; Zhou, Yun; Paoletti, Mathieu; Hu, Xiangyang; Haas, Fabian B.; Fernandez-Pozo, Noe; Czyrt, Alia; Sun, Hang (2020). "Are fungi-derived genomic regions related to antagonism towards fungi in mosses?". New Phytologist. 228 (4): 1169–1175. Bibcode:2020NewPh.228.1169S. doi:10.1111/nph.16776. ISSN 1469-8137. PMID 32578878.
- ↑ Kirbis, Alexander; Rahmatpour, Nasim; Dong, Shanshan; Yu, Jin; Gessel, Nico van; Waller, Manuel; Reski, Ralf; Lang, Daniel; Rensing, Stefan A. (2022-05-18), Genome dynamics in mosses: Extensive synteny coexists with a highly dynamic gene space, bioRxiv, doi:10.1101/2022.05.17.492078, retrieved 2026-07-31
- ↑ "The Plant Journal Editorial Board". Wiley Online Library. Retrieved 2026-07-31.