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Welcome to the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics!

We study the structure and function of proteins which regulate vital cellular processes using a wide methodological repertoire including advanced light and electron microscopy and as well as computational biology.

Our Research

Ernst Bamberg – The Functional Analysis of Electrogenic Membrane Proteins

Eugene Kim – Structure and Dynamics of Chromosomes

Melanie McDowell – Membrane Protein Biogenesis

Hartmut Michel – Molecular Membrane Biology

Bonnie Murphy – Redox and Metalloproteins

Florian Wilfling – Mechanisms of Cellular Quality Control

Overview

Scientific Facilities

News

Lea Dietrich holds the Otto Hahn Medal at the flower meadow of the Max Planck Insititute of Biophysis

Lea Dietrich Awarded Otto Hahn Medal for Junior Scientists

Her dissertation on the structure of mitochondrial proteins has earnt her one of the Max Planck Society’s top distinctions for young researchers.

Abstract 3D representation with orange and black particles in a transparent cube.

iMOL Research Training Extended by DFG

Grants

The interdisciplinary Research Training Group Interfacing Image Analysis and Molecular Life Science (iMOL) at Goethe University Frankfurt has received approval from the German Research Foundation (DFG) to continue its work.

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Latest Publications

Zeinert, R.; Zhou, F.; Franco, P.; Zöller, J.; Madni, Z. K.; Lessen, H.; Aravind, L.; Langer, J. D.; Sodt, A. J.; Storz, G. et al.; Matthies, D.: P-type ATPase magnesium transporter MgtA acts as a dimer. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2025)

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DOI

Buckel, W.; Ermler, U.; Vonck, J.; Fritz, G.; Steuber, J.: The RNF/NQR redox pumps: a versatile system for energy transduction in bacteria and archaea. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 109, 148 (2025)

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Lafargue, E.; Duneau, J.-P.; Buzhinsky, N.; Ornelas, P.; Ortega, A.; Ravishankar, V.; Sturgis, J.; Casuso, I.; Bergdoll, L.: Membrane lipid composition modulates the organization of VDAC1, a mitochondrial gatekeeper. Communications Biology 8, 936 (2025)

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Mukherjee, R.; Bhattacharya, A.; Tomaskovic, I.; Mello-Vieira, J.; Brunstein, M. E.; Başoğlu, M.; Veenendaal, T.; Bailey, H.; Colby, T.; Misra, M. et al.; Eimer, S.; Klumperman, J.; Münch, C.; Matic, I.; Dikic, I.; Đikić, I.: Phosphoribosyl ubiquitination of SNARE proteins regulates autophagy during Legionella infection. The EMBO Journal (2025)

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