Munich, 3-4 November 2016
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Keynote speakers of <interact> 2016
Prof. Dr. Gary R. Lewin
Prof. Lewin’s team focuses on the molecular mechanisms of somatic sensation. Somatic sensation includes all those sensations that we are consciously aware of after stimulation of the body, e.g. touch, warmth, cooling, or even limb movement. We experience these sensations as a direct result of the activation of sensory neurons that are located in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Sensory neurons can, for example, detect changes in temperature of the skin in non-painful as well as the noxious range (painful heat, or cold). They can also detect gentle movement of the skin as well as intense mechanical stimulation that is normally harmful. One of his main interests is to identify the ion channels, expressed by sensory neurons that transduce relevant stimuli. The molecular nature of the transduction molecules involved together with the developmental events that lead to specification of the appropriate sensory neuron sub-types are actively investigated in his the lab.
Dr. Brenda A. Schulman
The Schulman lab studies the structural basis for post-translational modification by ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins (Ubls). Post-translational covalent attachment of Ubls to protein targets is a primary eukaryotic regulatory mechanism. The best understood function of a Ubl modification is ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation. However, different Ubls alter the functions of their targets in different ways. Defects in these pathways have been widely associated with diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and viral infections. They believe that determining the mechanisms by which enzymes transfer Ubls will be of broad importance, much like studies of protein kinases have influenced our knowledge of signaling pathways and their roles in diseases. Toward this end, the goals of their research are to understand the basic enzymatic mechanisms underlying Ubl attachment to targets, to understand how Ubls are attached selectively, and to understand mechanisms by which Ubl covalent attachment can change enzyme and target function.
Prof. Dr. Patrick Cramer
Prof. Cramer's lab currently follows two major routes. First, they use structural biology and complementary functional assays to elucidate the mechanisms of gene transcription in eukaryotic cells. To elucidate the transcription mechanisms, they determine three-dimensional structures of RNA polymerases in complex with nucleic acid substrates and protein factors, and structures of polymerase-associated factors. They use X-ray crystallography allowing atomic structure determination of very large and asymmetric macromolecular complexes. Second, they develop functional genomics techniques to study the principles of gene regulation on a systems level. To do so, they use and develop functional genomics approaches and correlate the resulting systemic data with structural information. These two major efforts complement each other and help to develop the field of molecular systems biology, which aims at an understanding of systems behavior based on the underlying molecular mechanisms.