Structural Biochemistry

Processes in living organisms, tissues and cells are driven and controlled by biological macromolecules, especially proteins, based on their 3D atomic structures, their conformational dynamics and the biomolecular interactions they engage in. Structural Biochemistry is the branch of the Life Sciences that is concerned with elucidating biomolecular structures, from global molecular architectures to the spatial arrangement of individual atoms. Structural biochemical research also strives to understand biomolecular interactions at atomic detail and how biomolecular structures and interactions change over time. Such insights not only provide a basis for understanding the inner workings of biological macromolecules and their complexes, but also give rise to hypotheses that guide future, informed experimental interrogation of molecular biological phenomena. Furthermore, Structural Biochemistry is a cornerstone of many drug development programs. Nowadays, structural biochemical research questions often require application of several experimental as well as computational techniques in an integrative approach.

For a Methods Module in Structural Biochemistry in the Master’s program, you can choose between Biomolecular X-ray Crystallography; Quantitative Fluorescence Microscopy; Biological NMR Spectroscopy; Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry and more.