Andreas Bachmair’s project “New functions of the N-end rule protein degradation pathway in plants” will focus on a protein turnover pathway that is conserved between plants and animals. Interestingly, this pathway is carried out by completely different enzymes in plants -  a fact pointing to previously unknown functions of the N-end rule protein degradation pathway.

Thomas Decker’s lab will work on interferon-mediated immunity. Interferons are immune mediators that help to protect us from microbial pathogens. The project aims at revising the current paradigm of signal transduction by the interferon receptors. “We hope for insights into these non-paradigmatic pathways for immune responses to pathogens”, says Thomas Decker.

Verena Jantsch’s project concerns the regulation of the meiotic entry network. “Ten years ago, Josef Loidl and I published ‘our first C. elegans meiotic mutant’, which we isolated by a screen. These prom-1 mutants show that major processes of meiotic prophase need to be coordinated with each other at meiotic entry to warrant proper chromosome segregation. We now want to study a suppressor mutant of prom-1, which antagonizes meiotic entry. New mass spectrometry and imaging technologies make it very exciting to pick this project up again”, says Verena Jantsch.

In her research project “The regulation of dynamic interactions between PARG and PCNA”, Dea Slade will analyse changes in acetylation and ubiquitination of PARG in response to DNA damage, in order to understand the importance of these post-translational modifications for the regulation of dynamic interactions between PARG and PCNA – two proteins that are essential for DNA replication and DNA damage response.

At the MFPL, we take pride in our diverse faculty spanning highly active research groups and faculty members, who are involved in the education of the next generation of scientists. Currently, we are looking for new group leaders and Master’s students. For further information, have a look at our job openings!