Dr. habil. Tim Lüddecke is a group leader at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology in Giessen, Germany, and a lecturer in Insect Biotechnology at the Department of Applied Entomology at Justus Liebig University Giessen. He studied biology (B.Sc. and M.Sc.) at the Technical University of Braunschweig and, in 2018, graduated with a focus on biochemistry, bioinformatics, and genetics. He received his doctoral degree and his habilitation in zoology and biotechnology from Justus Liebig University Giessen in 2021 and 2026, respectively. Since 2025, he is further affiliated with the national museum in Windhoek, Namibia.
His research focuses on the evolutionary and chemical ecology, as well as the discovery, molecular characterization, and functional analysis of bioactive natural products from animals using venom as primary model system. By integrating concepts from pharmaceutical biology, molecular biology, evolutionary- as well as biodiversity science, he adresses questions in three scientific dimensions:
First, by linking molecules with function and natural history, he aims to understand how genetic novelty emerges in animals, how it functionally diversifies or becomes restrained and how it mediates species interactions (e.g. in predation, defense or intraspecific competition). Second, by pharmacological screening, he investigates how the identified biomolecular space interacts with molecular targets and modulates physiological processes. Thus, his work further aims to uncover novel therapeutic strategies, with particular emphasis on anti-infectives and highly selective peptide-based biologics. By combining high-throughput omics technologies with functional assays and biotechnological production systems, his group systematically advances candidates from discovery to mechanistic characterization and early-stage application. Third, in addition to basic zoological research and drug discovery, his work addresses animal envenoming as a neglected tropical disease and largely overlooked human-wildlife conflict and seeks to find novel paths towards treatment optimization.
Dr. Lüddecke’s research spans a wide range of animal lineages, with particular expertise in arthropod (such as spiders, scorpions, and insects), as well as vertebrate taxa (especially snakes and amphibians). His work is supported by extensive international field research, providing access to unique biological resources and enabling a comprehensive and integrative approach to natural product discovery. His laboratory has established a unique platform for the systematic analysis and functional characterization of animal-derived bioactive molecules, with a particular focus on previously inaccessible or understudied systems. By integrating proteomics, transcriptomics, genomics, and recombinant expression technologies with advanced bioassays, his group generates detailed insights into the structure, function, and pharmacological potential of natural compounds. This work has resulted in more than >79 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals including Biological Reviews, Biotechnology Advances, npj Biodiversity, BMC Biology, and Communications Biology.
Dr. Lüddecke has received several distinctions for his work, including an invitation to the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in 2023. He is actively engaged in the scientific community and serves in leadership roles across several international organizations, including as first chairman of the German Arachnological Society and as a member of the European committee of the International Society on Toxinology. He has further contributed to large interdisciplinary research initiatives, including the LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics and the European Venom Network. He holds editorial positions in several international journals, including Discover Toxicology, Frontiers in Arachnid Science, and Physiological Entomology, and regularly reviews for high-impact journals such as Advanced Science, Nature Communications, Molecular Biology and Evolution, and eLife. In addition, he serves as a reviewer for major funding organizations, including the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Dr. Lüddecke is a frequent invited speaker at international conferences and an active science communicator, with more than 100 appearances in television, radio, and print media. He is regularly consulted as an expert on bioactive compounds from animal venoms, including in medical contexts. He is strongly committed to teaching and mentoring, and regularly teaches university courses while supervising students at all levels. His teaching philosophy emphasizes the integration of fundamental knowledge with current research in pharmaceutical biology and the development of independent scientific thinking.
Outside academia, he maintains a strong interest in literature and the arts and is a dedicated martial artist with competitive experience in Muay Thai, Judo, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
