Stefan Schulze

Assistant Professor

Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences

College of Science

sxssbi1@rit.edu

585-475-5659

Office Location

BRN-1121

Stefan Schulze

Assistant Professor

Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences

College of Science

Education

BS, University of Potsdam, Germany; Ph.D., University of Munster, Germany

Bio

My research and expertise in the fields of proteomics, bioinformatics, and cell biology, focus on understanding protein glycosylation in prokaryotes. This interdisciplinary work aims to integrate advanced proteomics techniques with computational tools and cell biological assays, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of glycoproteins. This system-wide approach is crucial for unraveling the complexities of protein glycosylation, a post-translational modification that is highly diverse in prokaryotes (comprising bacteria and archaea). Since the importance of protein glycosylation in health and disease has been shown broadly, shedding light on the roles of glycoproteins in prokaryotes will open new paths to biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Collaboration and openness are central to the philosophy of the Schulze lab. We are committed to making our data and bioinformatic tools openly available to the scientific community, adhering to FAIR data sharing principles. Furthermore, we value a diversity of perspectives and background that drive innovation and discovery.

My own academic journey as a first-generation college student began in Germany at the University of Potsdam (B.S. in Biochemistry in 2010) before completing my further degrees at the University of Muenster (M.S. in 2013, Ph.D. in 2017). As an international scholar, I became a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017. In 2022, I started the Schulze lab at RIT. During these times I have worked on phage-bacteria interactions, microalgal proteomics, archaeal cell shape and biofilm formation, as well as bioinformatic tool development. Across my career stages, I have benefited not only from this interdisciplinary expertise, but also from exceptional mentors, and I am dedicated to mentoring the next generation of scientists in the same spirit.

For more information, please visit the Schulze lab website.

sxssbi1@rit.edu

585-475-5659

Personal Links

Personal Website

ORCID

Google Scholar

Areas of Expertise

Physics

Math

Life Sciences

Color Science

Imaging Science

Bioinformatics

Proteomics

Protein Glycosylation

Post-translational Modifications

Archaea

Bacteria

Biofilm Formation

Biochemistry

Select Scholarship

Invited Article/Publication

Ithurbide, Solenne, Nicole Buan, and Stefan Schulze. "Advancing archaeal research through FAIR resource and data sharing, and inclusive community building." Advancing archaeal research through FAIR resource and data sharing, and inclusive community building. (2025). Web.

Journal Paper

Schiller, Heather, et al. "Identification of structural and regulatory cell-shape determinants in Haloferax volcanii." Nature Communications 15. (2024): 1414. Web.

Ranff, Tristan, et al. "PeptideForest: Semisupervised Machine Learning Integrating Multiple Search Engines for Peptide Identification." Journal of Proteome Research. (2025): 929–939. Web.

Currently Teaching

BIOL-295

Biology Research

1 - 4 Credits

This course is a faculty-directed student project or research involving laboratory work, computer modeling, or theoretical calculations that could be considered of an original nature. The level of study is appropriate for students in their first three years of study.

BIOL-298

Biology Independent Study

1 - 4 Credits

This course is a faculty-directed tutorial of appropriate topics that are not part of the formal curriculum. The level of study is appropriate for student in their first three years of study.

BIOL-301

Undergraduate Teaching Experience

1 - 4 Credits

This course allows students to assist in a class or laboratory for which they have previously earned credit. The student will assist the instructor in the operation of the course. Assistance by the student may include fielding questions, helping in workshops, and assisting in review sessions. In the case of labs, students may also be asked to help with supervising safety practices, waste manifestation, and instrumentation.

BIOL-471

Environmental Microbiology

4 Credits

This course presents the relationships between microbes and their environments, as well as techniques to study them. It will cover the diverse microbiology of different habitats, ranging from soils and aquatic environments, to anthropized and extreme environments. Topics include the roles of microbes in nutrient and biogeochemical cycles, evolutionary aspects, as well as the relationships between environmental microbes and humans with regard to health impacts and biotechnological applications. Laboratory experiments will explore the types of bacteria in different environmental samples using a range of techniques from culturing and coliform counting, to metagenomic approaches. Impacts of microbes on the environment and human health will be highlighted through biogeochemical techniques and antibiotic resistance testing.

BIOL-495

Advanced Biology Research

1 - 4 Credits

This course is a faculty-directed student project or research involving laboratory or field work, computer modeling, or theoretical calculations that could be considered of an original nature. The level of study is appropriate for students in their final two years of study.

BIOL-498

Advanced Biology Independent Study

1 - 4 Credits

This course is a faculty-directed tutorial of appropriate topics that are not part of the formal curriculum. The level of study is appropriate for student in their final two years of study.

BIOL-594

Molecular Modeling and Proteomics

3 Credits

This course will explore two facets of protein molecules: separation and structure. The separation component will address common protein separation techniques such as 2D gel electrophoresis and chromatography. The structure component will follow the levels of protein structures, focusing on both experimental and computational methods to determine protein structures. Methods for determining primary structures such as Edman degradation method, Sanger method and mass spectrometry will be taught in lectures. Algorithms of predicting secondary structures will be introduced and implemented. Tertiary structure determination techniques such as NMR will be covered, with an emphasis on proton NMR, 13C NMR and multi-dimensional NMR. Homology modeling will be used to predict protein tertiary structures.

BIOL-599

Research Based Writing

3 Credits

This course is intended for students with significant research experience to work closely with their faculty mentors to prepare a manuscript for publication or write a proposal for external funding. Students will devote significant time to writing, revision and peer review. A submission-quality manuscript or proposal is expected at the end of the semester.

BIOL-694

Molecular Modeling and Proteomics

3 Credits

This course will explore two facets of protein molecules: their separation and their structure. The structure component will build upon information from earlier bioinformatics courses. Protein separation techniques will be addressed in lectures with descriptions of 2D gel electrophoresis and chromatography. Algorithms of protein secondary structure prediction will be implemented. Experimental techniques for tertiary structure determination such as NMR will be covered. The course will also include the analysis of inter-molecular interactions, such as ligand/receptor pairing, by employing software that permits modeling of molecular docking experiments.

BIOL-798

Grad Biology Independent Study

1 - 4 Credits

This course is a faculty-directed, graduate level tutorial of appropriate topics that are not part of the formal curriculum.