Many diseases are caused by misfolded and aggregated proteins. Hence a molecular understanding of the protein folding process is of fundamental interest to science and crucial for the development of medications.
Protein Folding in Real-Time
The Hauser group tracks the molecular processes of protein folding in real-time, by observing the dynamics of single amino acids. To elucidate the structure, function and dynamics of biomolecules in general, they design and use novel spectroscopic methods. The team particularly focuses on the development of infrared spectroscopic techniques with high time resolution, facilitating the analysis of molecular mechanisms on a nanosecond time scale. Molecular probes provide an improved spatial resolution of the detected structural dynamics.
“Gaining a molecular understanding of the protein folding process is of fundamental scientific interest, because many diseases are caused by the misfolding and aggregation of proteins. Our studies provide an important basis for the pharmaceutical-medical development of drugs,” explains Prof. Dr. Karin Hauser. Her team also focuses on photokinetics, protein‑membrane interactions, charge transfer and reaction at interfaces. The investigated molecular systems range from small model peptides to large membrane proteins.