In our research we want to understand how protein homeostasis is ensured in the cytosolic and chloroplast compartments of a plant cell. For this, we study the players involved in protein homeostasis, i.e. chaperones and proteases, in both compartments, and the signaling pathways involved to ensure homeostasis. Furthermore, we investigate how thylakoid membranes and the protein complexes therein are formed and maintained.
These questions are addressed with systems biology approaches largely involving mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics.
Moreover, we use synthetic biology (Modular Cloning) to engineer Chlamydomonas in order to address our basic research questions and to endow this organism with new properties for applied research.