Structural and functional genomics by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)

The goal of the research project is to combine know-how from various disciplines for the quick and automated supply of physiologically relevant information about a large number of proteins. On the basis of these data numerous drugs could be developed or enhanced.

Due to the successful sequencing of the human genome the main focus of the Life Sciences is increasingly shifting towards characterising the proteins encoded in various genes. Concretely speaking, the research project will deal with the development of a new NMR-spectroscopic method to determine the structure of biologically important proteins. A platform technology based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) will be developed that allows quantifying protein-protein interaction in vitro. In a second step, an entire protein family will be characterised for the first time. The structural data thus gained could serve as a starting point for the development or enhancement of drugs.