Description of research and teaching

More than 50%  of current drugs affect membrane proteins and membrane protein systems.  It is thus clear that membranes and the proteins embedded in/associated  with them are key both biologically and medicinally. The proteins and  protein complexes in the membrane create electrochemical gradients,  mediate self:non-self interactions, and control the passage of molecules  and responses to extracellular signals. Despite this, such systems have  been less thoroughly studied than soluble proteins (Engelman, 2005, Nature, 438,  578-80). Steady advances in techniques have made it possible to study  them in lower amounts and with more spatial and temporal precision than  before.

Our work, which aims at spatial cellular/structural biology, thus  focuses on proteins and protein complexes that are at and close to the  cell surface, looking at at neuronal protein interactions  (e.g.  GDNF-GFRα-RET, MANF, and neuronal LRR-proteins) and at host-pathogen  interactions, such as those involving trimeric autotransporters, factor H  and complement.