Rate My Professor Tobias Weidner

Tobias Weidner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO-Kemi) at Aarhus University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, where he has held a faculty position since 2016. He holds a PhD in Physics and previously conducted research at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, University of Washington, University of Heidelberg, and University of Kassel. As Head of SurfLab, Weidner specializes in surface chemistry and interfacial biophysics. His research employs advanced techniques including static and time-resolved sum frequency generation spectroscopy, femtosecond spectroscopy, NEXAFS spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations to probe molecular orientation, structure, dynamics, and interactions at interfaces. Key focus areas encompass protein folding and motion at surfaces, energy flow through protein interfaces, interfacial water, nanoplastics, aerosols, and bioinspired surface modifications for applications in catalysis, adhesion, sensing, nucleation, biofouling prevention, scaling reduction, and friction control. These studies draw inspiration from natural systems, such as self-cleaning plant surfaces, spider adhesion, and frog tongue gluing.

Weidner's contributions include leading projects on alpha-synuclein pathology at polystyrene nanoplastics, photochemistry of aqueous compounds, and protein structures at nano-surfaces. Notable publications feature "Structure of α-Synuclein Bound to Polystyrene Surfaces Probed by Experimental and Theoretical Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy" (Langmuir, 2026), "Surface Spectroscopy Reveals Ordering and Alignment of Liquid Carbon Dioxide at Sapphire Interfaces" (Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 2026), "The primary deep-UV photochemistry of aqueous fumarate and maleate" (Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2026), and "Umbrella-like Helical Structure of α-Synuclein at the Air-Water Interface" (2023). With 6,829 citations, an h-index of 48, and 136 i10-index publications on Google Scholar, his work has substantial impact in surface proteins and biophysics. He has secured major grants, including a DKK 10 million NERD grant in 2022 for the ProSurf project, Lundbeck Foundation funding for 2D-SEED in 2026, and equipment grants from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Weidner is an editor for Biointerphases and hosts international seminars at Aarhus University.