Laboratory for Structural Analysis and Engineering of Membrane Systems

The laboratory combines the approaches of X-ray crystallography and bioinformatics to solve problems in structural biology of membrane systems. We are particularly interested in understanding the mechanisms of action of membrane proteins and in engineering membrane and soluble proteins with novel functions. Our model systems include microbial rhodopsins (light-driven pumps, channels and sensors) and sensor proteins of two-component signaling systems. The experimental work is accompanied by development of bioinformatics approaches for structural analysis and engineering of new macromolecules.