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BNMRZ NMR Halle
Helmholtz Munich | Winfried Meining

Sattler Lab

We are using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in  integrative structural biology, combined with X-ray crystallography, SAXS, SANS, cryo-EM and biophysical techniques to study the structure, interactions and dynamics of biomolecules in solution and for structure-based drug discovery.

We are using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in  integrative structural biology, combined with X-ray crystallography, SAXS, SANS, cryo-EM and biophysical techniques to study the structure, interactions and dynamics of biomolecules in solution and for structure-based drug discovery.

About

Molecular recognition in the regulation of gene expression and signaling

A main focus in the Sattler group is to understand the structural basis of protein-RNA interactions that are functionally important for various aspects of gene expression, such as the regulation of (alternative) pre-mRNA splicing and gene silencing by non-coding RNAs (siRNAs, miRNAs). More than 90% of human multi-exon genes are alternatively spliced and misregulation of splicing is linked to various human diseases. The spliceosome is a highly dynamic machinery, which involves numerous protein-RNA interactions. During the different steps that eventually lead to splicing of the pre-mRNA, these complexes are continuously rearranged, and their composition can be modulated, for example in the context of alternative splicing. While this requires that the molecular interactions are dynamic, specific and tight complexes are formed by the cooperative combination of multiple weak protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions. Current projects focus on protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions that play important roles in the regulation of constitutive and alternative splicing and other aspects of RNA metabolism involving non-coding RNAs.

NMR is well suited to study such dynamic and transient interactions in solution. We are implementing and developing integrated structural biology approaches combining NMR-spectroscopy and Small Angle Neutron and/or X-ray Scattering (SAXS/SANS) data with crystallographic and other information to investigate molecular mechanisms involving high molecular weight protein complexes in solution.

Another area of research is structural investigations of proteins and protein complexes involved in different aspects of cellular signaling and peroxisomal biogenesis. Here, we aim to understand the structural basis for critical protein-protein interactions with a focus on proteins that are linked to human disease.

We are also initiating studies for the structure-based design of small molecular inhibitors as i) starting points for pharmaceutical interference and ii) as tools to modulate and monitor cellular signaling. These studies aim at identifying optimized small chemical compounds using structure-guided approaches. NMR is an efficient tool for such a structure-based chemical biology approach since it not only allows to determine the three-dimensional structures in solution but also is efficient in detecting and mapping ligand binding of biomolecules.

Group members

Michael Sattler

Prof. Dr. Michael Sattler

Head of the Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Centers, Director Structural Biology Profil anzeigen
Karen Biniossek

Karen Biniossek

Assistant to Prof. Dr. Michael Sattler

Dr. Sam Asami

Staff scientist
Stefan Bohn

Dr. Stefan Bohn

Staff scientist
Matthias Brandl

Dr. Matthias Brandl

Staff scientist

PD Dr. Gerd Gemmecker

Staff scientist
Winfried Meining

Dr. Winfried Meining

IT manager

Dr. Ana Messias

Staff scientist, team leader Profil anzeigen
Gülden Yilmaz

Gülden Yilmaz

Lab manager
Peijian Zou

Dr. Peijian Zou

Staff scientist

Dr. Lorenzo Baronti

Postdoc

Dr. Jan Borggräfe

Postdoc

Dr. Florent Delhommel

Postdoc
Tony Fröhlich

Dr. Tony Fröhlich

Postdoc
Stefan Gaussmann

Dr. Stefan Gaussmann

Postdoc
Hyunseo Kang

Dr. Hyunseo Kang

Postdoc
Santiago Martinez Lumbreras

Dr. Santiago Martinez-Lumbreras

Postdoc

Annika Elimelech

PhD student
Philipp Mayer

Philipp Mayer

PhD student
Clara Hipp

Clara Hipp

PhD student
Nitin Kachariya

Nitin Kachariya

PhD student
Niki Messini

Niki Messini

PhD student
Christoph Müller-Hermes

Christoph Müller-Hermes

PhD student
Luca Sperotto

Luca Sperotto

PhD student
Ekaterina Tikhaia

Ekaterina Tikhaia

PhD student

Clara Morguet

PhD student

Sebastian Metzler

Master student
Fadime Stemmer

Fadime Stemmer

Bachelor's student
Jessica Walther

Jessica Walther

Technical assistant

Publications

Weiterlesen

Jobs

Research Practicals, "Mitarbeit am Arbeitsplatz"

Practicals and lab rotations are available in protein / RNA biochemistry,  (basic) NMR experiments and analysis of protein or RNA spectra.
Please send a notice (including a short CV) to Hanso Kang (hyunseo.kang (a) tum.de) for further information.

Bachelor or Master theses

Bachelor and master thesis projects are available in the area of biological NMR, integrative structural biology (NMR, crystallography, SAXS/SANS, cryo-EM) and biochemical studies of protein complexes, RNA and protein-RNA as well as protein small molecule interactions. Please directly contact Michael Sattler (michael.sattler@tum.de)

Doctoral theses and postdoc positions

We are always looking for excellent, highly motivated doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows.
Doctoral thesis and postdoctoral research projects are available in different aspects of our research:

  • Biochemistry and structural biology of proteins, RNA linked to RNA biology (splicing, non-coding RNAs
  • Biochemistry and structural biology of Hsp90/complexes, peroxisome biogenesis and cellular signalling
  • NMR methods, integrated structural biology (i.e. combining NMR, crystallography, cryo-EM, SAXS/SANS)
  • Structure-based drug discovery

Please directly contact Michael Sattler (michael.sattler@tum.de) for inquiries.

Current job openings

Sattler Lab Contact

Karen Biniossek

Karen Biniossek

Assistant to Prof. Dr. Michael Sattler

TUM Garching, BNMRZ