Our research group investigates dynamic processes that take place at the plasma membrane. The plasma membrane that surrounds each of our cells is not a rigid structure, but can be deformed with the help of a complex protein machinery. This makes it possible to reconcile the essential barrier function of the membrane with the necessary selective uptake of surface proteins for the internalization of nutrients, the regulation of signalling cascades and the remodelling of cellular adhesion complexes. An important uptake mechanism is endocytosis. This is a process in which the membrane is progressively curved inwards to form a vesicle that is pinched off at the end to carry its cargo inside the cell.

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Our group works on dynamic processes that take place at the plasma membrane. The plasma membrane surrounding each of our cells is not a rigid structure, but can be remodeled into different shapes with the help of complex protein machineries. This makes it possible to reconcile the essential barrier function of the membrane with the necessary selective uptake of surface proteins for the internalization of nutrients, the regulation of signal cascades and the remodeling of cellular adhesion complexes. A major uptake mechanism is endocytosis, a process in which the membrane is progressively bend inwards to form a vesicle which in the end is fissioned off to deliver its cargo to intracellular compartments. more