The Department of Biopolymers is engaged in many areas of research in molecular structural biology relevant to human disease and to the understanding of the basics of biological processes:

• HIV infection and replication

• viral antitermination

• origin of prion (TSE) diseases

• origin of allergies

• peptide hormones

• protease inhibitors

• unfolded and partially folded states of proteins

• computational tools for NMR data-processing and sequence analysis

Our main objective in these fields is the understanding of the relation between biopolymer structure and mechanism.

We use nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, measurement of circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and structural bioinformatics as major tools for the determination of the 3-dimensional structure, dynamic properties, and interplay of biomolecules. In addition, we perform all molecular biology work in our department, so that we are able to work on all aspects of bioengineering in our laboratories.

The department has exceptionally well equipped wet labs and a full range of NMR-spectrometers: 400 MHz, 600 MHz, 700 MHz, and 800 MHz. We also participate in the NMR-facility in Munich with 750 MHz and 900 MHz instruments sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.