Understanding biological processes requires a combination of cell biology and biochemistry to see molecular functions in a cellular context. After an era dominated by sequencing, uncovering protein functions will now be critical in order to understand biology also at a systems level. I am aiming at providing practical knowledge to address molecular functions in a cellular context, e.g. in the regulation metabolism or in organelles. I am teaching general Biochemistry (3h) as well as Plant Biochemistry and Metabolism and Cellular Organization in Molecular Plant Biology and Molecular Plant Physiology, an advanced Biochemistry seminar, and literature- and project planning seminars as well as the basic biochemistry laboratory course.
My lab investigates molecular mechanisms of cellular acclimation to environmental changes in plants and algae, particularly protein kinase- and calcium-mediated signalling pathways to stress. We study calcium-signalling and regulation of metabolism and the role of calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) in stress acclimation at various levels ranging from regulation of membrane proteins (Mehlmer et al., 2010; Latz et al., 2013), soluble enzymes (Lambeck et al., 2010; Rietz et al., 2010) to metabolic adjustment by regulation of transcription (Mair et al., 2015; Pedrotti et al., 2018). More recently also organellar signalling came into focus of our work (Stael et al., 2012; Wurzinger et al., 2018).
Studies of Chemistry at the University of Hannover (DE), 1995 PhD in Biochemistry on regulation of Calvin-cycle enzymes (IPK Gatersleben, DE), 1995-1996 Humboldt fellow at UT Southwestern (Dallas, TX, USA), 1998-2000 Marie Curie fellow at the University of Vienna, 2000-2004 Senior postdoc on MAP kinase signalling and stress responses in plants, 2002 Habilitation in Biochemistry, since 2004 self-funded group leader at the University of Vienna with projects on Ca2+ dependent protein kinases and organellar signalling.
orcid.org/0000-0001-7204-1379 ResearcherID: R-6443-2016
Gene regulatory mechanisms governing human development, evolution and variation
Regulation of Cerebral Cortex Morphogenesis by Migrating Cells
Phage therapy for treating bacterial infections: a double-edged sword
Suckers and segments of the octopus arm
Using the house mouse radiation to study the rapid evolution of genes and genetic processes
CRISPR jumps ahead: mechanistic insights into CRISPR-associated transposons
SLiMs and SHelMs: Decoding how short linear and helical motifs direct PPP specificity to direct signaling
Title to be announced
Enigmatic evolutionary origin and multipotency of the neural crest cells - major drivers of vertebrate evolution
Visualising mitotic chromosomes and nuclear dynamics by correlative light and electron microscopy
Engineered nanocarriers for imaging of small proteins by CryoEM
Bacterial cell envelope homeostasis at the (post)transcriptional level
Title to be announced
Hydrologic extremes alter mechanisms and pathways of carbon export from mountainous floodplain soils
Dissecting post-transcriptional gene expression regulation in humans and viruses
Prdm9 control of meiotic synapsis of homologs in intersubspecific hybrids
Polyploidy and rediploidisation in stressful times
Title to be announced
RNA virus from museum specimens
Programmed DNA double-strand breaks during meiosis: Mechanism and evolution
Title to be announced