Profile Area Structure & Dynamics of Life

The building blocks of living systems investigated by scientists of the Profile Area "Structure and Dynamics of Life" range from single molecules to macromolecular complexes, organelles, cells, organs and even whole organisms. Many questions remain about the basic principles that govern these systems and allow them to adapt to internal or external changes. 

Living systems are highly complex and dynamic and their building blocks remodel, move and interact in space and time. Sophisticated tools are required that allow investigations of specific processes with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution and different scales require different methods. In Frankfurt our scientists profit from a local legacy of innovation in this area - including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry, X-ray crystallography, advanced light microscopy, electron microscopy and light regulation. Further tools and methods are being developed to drive science forward and to allow researchers to investigate questions that were beyond reach so far. We combine cutting-edge research projects led by established scientists with the training and early independence of promising young researchers.

Research of such complexity requires collaborative efforts across scientific disciplines and our profile area strongly promotes collaborative research initiatives. Our flagship project is the newly funded DFG-funded Cluster of Excellence SCALE. The profile area includes also DFG-funded collaborative research centers, research training groups, an IMI-funded initiative as well as numerous smaller projects.

Subcellular architecture of life

New technical developments allow the study of living systems at an unprecedented resolution. Our scientists are developing novel experimental techniques and cutting-edge image analysis to map and simulate the interior of cells. Experimental data from electron microscopy, super-resolution light microscopy, omics and live-cell imaging will be combined with multiscale simulations and artificial intelligence methods to generate new insights into bacterial resistance, inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases and immune defense. 

RNA-based processes

Another key research area of our profile area focusses on RNA-based processes. RNA research has a long tradition at Goethe University. Our interdisciplinary approach to better understand RNA folding and RNA regulation is unique. The last 20 years have allowed us to find and exploit fundamental principles and mechanisms of RNA structure and regulation and to establish links to neuroscience and drug discovery.

Membrane and organelle dynamics 

Protein assemblies and macromolecular complexes in the cell membranes are central to life processes. They translocate nutrients and metabolites, transduce energy, control the communication within and between cells, and mediate interactions with pathogens. They are intrinsically difficult to study and remain poorly understood. Our scientists are investigating the organizational principles and operational mechanisms of protein assemblies at and across compartmentalization boundaries.

Neuronal molecular and cellular architecture

This key area investigates fundamental principles of neurons as information-processing cells, the regulation of neuronal connections and the spatiotemporal dynamics of perception. Blood vessels are increasingly recognized as key signaling systems that regulate the development and homeostasis of the central nervous system. Questions addressed in our research include the interconnections between the nervous system and the vascular system, the role of RNA in neuronal plasticity and how failure of homeostatic processes can lead to disease. 

Light-based tools 

Localisation and timing play a vital role in the processes that make up a cell, a tissue and an organism. Within the profile area, optogenetics and optochemistry are combined to rapidly and precisely switch on and off genetically encoded proteins or other molecules (lipids, RNA, etc.), respectively. These techniques are used to study biological processes as diverse as synaptic transmission, membrane biology, intracellular trafficking and cell movement.

Molecular and functional characterization of selective autophagy 

Selective autophagy is an intracellular process targeting various cellular components for degradation. It is essential for healthy cells and deregulation contributes to disease. Frankfurt is recognized as an important technology hub for autophagy research and scientists of the profile area have generated insights into the molecular basis of autophagy and its regulation, into functions of individual selective autophagy pathways, and the role of autophagy in human diseases.