In the Department of Bioscience at the TUM School of Natural Sciences, scientists are conducting research on current exciting topics in various Research Groups. An overview of our current research areas and working groups can be found here.
Biomolecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins are the building blocks of life. These building blocks are highly integrated devices and their biological function ranges from simple switches to molecular motors that transport charge along molecular rails to complex chemical synthesis units in which, for example, genetic information is replicated. Molecular biophysics develops methods to study the folding, binding and assembly, dynamics and energetics of biomolecules and their interaction in a quantitative manner. Examples of those methods used at the Department of Bioscience to include single molecule optical microscopy, single molecule optical and magnetic tweezers as well as computer simulations
Research groups involved: Dietz, Duderstadt, Rief, Zacharias
Structural Biology provides mechanistic details of biomolecular functionality at atomic resolution. High-resolution information about structure and conformational dynamics can be obtained by combining X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy (EM) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Moreover, experimentally determined structures serve as a starting point for sophisticated molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to obtain further functional insights.
Structural biology labs at the Department of Bioscience are interested in the molecular mechanism of gene regulation and splicing, the structural basis of amyloid fiber formation and innate immunity, exploring mechanistic details of enzyme function, and high-resolution structural and functional insights into membrane proteins.
Structural biology results are essential to design tailored small molecules to target disease-linked proteins and nucleic acids in a structure-guided and rational manner.
This cutting-edge research portfolio is enabled by high-end infrastructure at the Bavarian NMR center (jointly supported by TUM and Helmholtz Munich), the protein crystallography and the TUM EM facility, in cooperation with the Helmholtz Munich cryo-EM platform. This toolset is complemented by a large set of biophysical and analytical methods and high performance computing facilities that are available in the Department of Bioscience.
Research groups involved: de Oliveira Mann, Groll, Hagn, Reif, Sattler, Zacharias
Cells are the fundamental functional units of life. Understanding how molecular processes are regulated to enable their diverse functions and how dysregulation of these processes contributes to human diseases is a major goal of the teams in our focus area of Cell Biology. We employ a variety of techniques such as gene editing, functional genomics, high-throughput methods for gene expression analysis, and light and electron microscopy to interrogate and control the function of individual proteins and to unravel the spatiotemporal regulation of diverse molecular pathways in cells. Our research relies on a wide range of eukaryotic model systems (budding yeast, nematodes, zebrafish, human stem cell-derived cultures and organoids), which enables us to gain mechanistic insights into evolutionarily conserved regulatory pathways to achieve and maintain cellular homeostasis.
Research groups involved: Buchner, Feige, Nedialkova, Westmeyer
Biological pathways represent complex regulatory circuits within cells that are required to maintain a healthy cellular physiology. Aberrant regulation of these pathways leads to cellular dysfunction and the onset of diseases. Knowledge about the biomolecular drivers responsible for pathology is a major prerequisite to design strategies for a tailored treatment.
The field of chemical biology within our department combines multiple experimental approaches to decipher disease mechanisms and to manipulate them. Chemical probes are designed to identify disease-associated targets in whole cells and state of the art mass spectrometry-based technologies are used to mine the cellular proteome and metabolome. Proteins with crucial function in health and disease are subject to high-resolution analysis of their structure and dynamics using structural biology. Enzymes represent an important subclass of such proteins, as they are essential for catalytic transformations inside the cell. They can also be engineered for biocatalytic applications, which represent an attractive alternative to classical organic synthesis. Nucleic acids (RNA, DNA) are major players in gene regulation and cellular physiology and their dynamic interactions with proteins are studied by structural biology and biophysical methods. The mechanistic insights obtained on these biological macromolecules lay the foundation for the rational design of small molecules to manipulate biomolecular function in human diseases pathogenic bacteria or parasites.
Research groups involved: Groll, Sattler, Sieber, Strittmatter, Zeymer
In computational and theoretical biophysics, we use theoretical concepts from physics to study and to explain biological systems. The properties of biological systems are based on the complicated interplay and dynamics of a large number of molecular components. Computational methods allow us to investigate the structure and dynamics of biological molecules essential for their function. It is possible to investigate structure formation and association of biomolecules at atomic resolution and to analyse the underlying structure-forming forces and thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. Many still unanswered questions about the mechanism of specific structure formation can thus be elucidated by computational methods.
Biological systems are highly dynamic not only at the molecular level but also in higher organisational units such as cell organelles or whole cells. Here, stochastic processes far from thermodynamic equilibrium often play an essential role. The interplay of these processes determines and regulates cellular processes and leads to the self-organisation of cellular structures. For example, stochastic processes take place in cells that consume biochemical energy and thus generate a directed movement. With the help of mathematical methods and computational approaches on mesoscopic scales, models can be created to describe and explain such processes. In this context the principles of organisation and regulation of stochastic processes in cells and their development in the course of evolution are still largely unknown and an important aspect of our work in computational biophysics.
Life’s processes are complex emergent phenomena involving the interplay of a huge number of small and large molecules far from thermal equilibrium. Systems biology is devoted to the experimental study and quantitative analysis of complex biosystems, their theoretical understanding and modeling. At the interface with synthetic biology, systems biology also aims at the controlled alteration of systems behavior. At the Department of Bioscience, researchers develop and utilize high-throughput experimental tools to study biological complexity (sequencing, gene expression studies, lipidomics, metabolomics), computationally explore such systems and actively work on the implementation of synthetic molecular networks in vivo.
Research groups involved: Gerland, Nedialkova, Simmel, Strittmatter
Proteins are the structurally and functionally most diverse biomolecules. In our focus area of Protein Biochemistry, we investigate fundamental aspects of proteins by directly linking their structure, conformational dynamics, and biomolecular interactions to biological functions. To achieve this goal, we use a wide range of state-of-the-art analytical techniques that allow us to reach a new level of mechanistic insight into important cellular processes orchestrated by proteins. We use these findings to develop proteins for biotechnological applications and to contribute to the treatment of human diseases.
Our research topics span a wide range of biological systems, such as the processing and alternative splicing of pre-mRNA that defines the proteome of a cell, the life cycle and functionality of soluble and membrane proteins, the folding of polypeptide chains and their degradation by the proteasome and other proteases. This includes various aspects, such as the analysis of protein aggregation and misfolding as the basis of disease, the mechanism of protein and metabolite transport across membranes, the maintenance of protein homeostasis in the cell under physiologic and stress conditions, cellular signalling pathways, enzyme mechanisms including the design and directed evolution of novel enzymes, and the specific modulation of protein function by chemical compounds and rational engineering.
Together, this research portfolio enables a detailed understanding of the molecular basis of life. It allows to develop new strategies to target diseases associated with these processes and to design new therapeutic strategies.
Research groups involved: Buchner, Feige, Groll, Hagn, Reif, Sattler, Sieber, Zeymer
Nucleic acids are essential biomolecules for the storage and transmission of genetic information required for the preservation and proliferation of life. As genetic information is transformed into the molecular building blocks of cells, nucleic acids adopt complex structures with increasingly diverse functional roles. In the Department of Bioscience, ongoing research covers a broad range of topics in nucleic acid biochemistry ranging from mechanistic studies of DNA replication to systems level genome-wide analysis of tRNAs. Beyond their vital role in cells, our department takes advance of nucleic acids as versatile building materials for the creation of molecular devices and machines with new functions. We investigate nucleic acid structure, dynamics, and biomolecular interactions with methods ranging from integrative structural analysis using NMR, cryoEM, and X-ray crystallography to dynamic studies using single-molecule microscopy and functional analysis using next generation sequencing.
Research groups involved: Dietz, Duderstadt, Nedialkova, Sattler
Welcome to the Synthetic Biology Research Division at the Department of Biosciences, where cutting-edge research converges with academic excellence. Whether you are a prospective student, a Ph.D. candidate, a postdoc, or a potential faculty member, we invite you to explore the limitless possibilities and challenges in the field of synthetic biology that await you here.
What is Synthetic Biology?
Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field that integrates principles from biophysics, engineering, computer science, and biology to design and construct new biological parts, systems, and devices in the quest of understanding how living systems function. It also aims to re-design existing biological systems for useful purposes. Imagine creating programmable cells, devising custom organisms, or even reengineering human biology—all are plausible outcomes of synthetic biology research.
Goals and Aims
The central objective of our division is to expand the boundaries of biological knowledge while developing practical applications that benefit humanity. We strive to understand fundamental biological processes at the molecular and systems levels, develop new tools and technologies to manipulate biological systems, create solutions for pressing issues in healthcare, environmental sustainability and other fields of technology.
Research Fields Represented
Our division is home to several specialized research fields that offer a diverse array of opportunities:
- Systems Biophysics
This field examines the physical principles governing the organization and behavior of biological systems, from single cells to complex tissues. Our work helps understand diseases at a molecular level and offers insights into novel therapeutic approaches.
- Protein Design
Researchers in this area focus on creating new proteins with specific functions, either by modifying existing proteins or by designing them from scratch. This research has broad applications in drug development, biotechnology, and materials science.
- DNA Nanotechnology and DNA Origami
We are at the forefront of creating intricate nanostructures using DNA as the building material. These structures can serve as drug delivery systems, chemical sensors, and even as computational devices.
- Theoretical Biophysics
Here, computational methods and mathematical models are employed to understand the biophysical processes that underlie the structure and function of biological systems. This theoretical framework enables more effective experimental designs and interpretation.
Why Join Us?
- Cutting-edge Facilities: State-of-the-art laboratories and computing facilities.
- Collaborative Environment: Work alongside leading experts across disciplines.
- Global Impact: Your work here could change the way we understand life and tackle global challenges.
Take the next step in your academic or professional journey by joining our dynamic team and contributing to groundbreaking research in synthetic biology.
The physics of cellular systems is a multidisciplinary field that merges principles from physics, biology, and engineering to decode the complex behaviors within cells and their interactions in the broader context of tissue and organ formation. It applies statistical mechanics, fluid dynamics, and concepts of soft matter physics to understand cellular processes like division, motility, and signal transduction. Furthermore, it extends to examining cell-cell interactions, organ development, and morphogenesis, highlighting how physical forces and mechanical properties underpin cell communication, cell behaviour, tissue patterning, and the emergent structure of organs. This approach not only unravels the fundamental laws governing life at the microscopic scale but also advances applications in biotechnology, diagnostics, drug delivery, up to tissue engineering, based on insights into the interplay between physical principles and biological phenomena.
Research groups involved: Alim, Bausch, Duderstadt