We focus on the structure & dynamics of biomolecules obtaining a coherent understanding of their inherent functionality - on an atomic level.
Observing and Understanding Protein Folding in its Natural Environment
Most, if not all, experiments targeted on the molecular understanding of the functionality of biomolecules like proteins, nucleic acids or interaction studies among them are performed at perfectly diluted conditions: in vitro. Our group aims to overcome these limitations by moving the experimental setup to a more natural scenario being able to obtain an atomically resolved three dimensional biomolecular structure in a highly densed environment mimicking intracellular conditions as best as possible and ultimately in a living cell. This is done by applying and developing a sophisticated convergent experimental setup composed of expression and labeling strategies on the one hand and of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and fluorescence spectroscopic methods on the other hand.