Our research at a glance
Our work revolves around biological membranes - where lipids, proteins and membrane-active drugs meet. We view membranes as multifunctional switch points that play a key role in numerous physiological and pathophysiological processes in cells.
We are particularly interested in the functional significance of lipid composition and distribution in membranes and the resulting collective membrane properties. These include:
- Membrane thickness,
- lipid packing density (lateral area per lipid),
- bending rigidity and
- spontaneous curvature of membrane leaflets.
To measure these properties, we combine methods such as:
- Small-angle X-ray and Neutron scattering (SAXS, SANS),
- Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC),
- Fluorescence spectroscopy and
- Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET).
Our particular strength lies in the development of analytical models for the evaluation of SAXS and SANS data. This enables us to quantitatively measure and understand the effects of membrane properties on protein function.
©Michael Kaltenegger (Uni Graz)
Schematic representation of a biological membrane. The phospholipids are asymmetrically distributed between the two membrane leaflets. The resulting lateral pressure difference acts on the two integral membrane proteins. On the right, the membrane divides into 'virtually' decoupled leaflets with a spontaneous curvature.
National and International Collaborations
- Douwe Jan Bonthuis (TU Graz, Austria)
- Robert Ernst (Univ. Saarland, Homburg, Germany)
- Fred A. Heberle (Univ. Tennessee, TN, USA)
- Daniel Huster (Univ. Leipzig, Germany)
- Yuri Gerelli (CNR-ISC, Rom, Italy)
- John Katsaras (ORNL, TN, USA)
- Sandro Keller (Univ. Graz, Austria)
- Erwin London (Stony Brook University, NY, USA)
- Robert Vachá (CEITEC, Brno, Czech Republic)
- Primož Ziherl (Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia)