October 6th, 2026 at 12:15 CANCELLED

 

Prof. Julia Mahamid

European Molecular Biology Laboratory

Heidelberg, Germany

 

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October 13th, 2026 at 12:15, room U1.191

 

Order and Disorder in Protein Complexes

 

Biomolecular complexes where one partner is an intrinsically disordered protein may retain disorder of relevance to the function of the complex. Di erent degree of disorder may be present in such complexes, ranging from the population of a discrete set of more ordered states to complexes where both partners remain almost as disordered in the complex as they are in their free, unbound states. Methods for characterizing remaining disorder are rare. We have recently used stereochemistry to adress remaining disorder in protein complexes, and combining thermodynamics and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy this have helped us to decompose and understand how disordered protein complexes can be more malleable and disordered than we would anticipate. I will discuss order and disorder in protein complexes and touch upon how disordered protein complexes may be relevant in relation to the Origin of Life.

 

Prof. Birthe Kragelund

University of Copenhagen

Copenhagen, Denmark

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October 27th, 2026 at 12:15, room U1.197

 

Embodied motility in single-celled organisms

 

How do cells and organisms coordinate complex movement without centralized control? For this, nature has devised many elegant solutions, especially in the microscopic realm. Many of these motility and navigation strategies emerge spontaneously from the collective interactions between molecular motors and cytoskeletal filaments. Indeed the same basic symmetry-breaking processes underlie the mysterious gliding motility of diatoms, the undulatory gaits of algal flagellates, and even the mesmerising metachronal waves of ciliary bands… In this talk, we explore the connections between sub-cellular organisation and whole-organism behaviour, combining live imaging, ultrastructural studies, micro-manipulation, and computational modelling to reconstruct morphology-function relationships across diverse species. We ask how a living organism, even a single cell, can actively select from a rich repertoire of behavioural possibilities in response to its environment, highlighting the importance of physically embodied sensors and actuators.

 

Prof. Kirsty Wan

University of Exeter

Exeter, UK

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November 17th, 2026 at 12:15, room U1.197

 

From Molecules to Cells: Scalable Cryo-EM and Correlative Workflows in a Multi-User Facility

 

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) now spans an exceptional range of biological length scales - from near-atomic structures of purified macromolecular complexes to the visualization of molecular organization inside cells and tissues. However, turning these capabilities into robust, reproducible results across many projects remains challenging, especially in a multi-user environment where sample diversity, throughput demands, and varying levels of expertise meet complex instrumentation and data pipelines. In this talk, I will share a facility-driven perspective on how we build scalable cryo-EM workflows that support both single-particle analysis and cryo-electron tomography, and how correlative cryo-fluorescence approaches (cryo-CLEM/iFLM) enable imaging of rare cellular events and help identify sites of interest in thick samples. I will highlight practical strategies for standardization and quality control across the pipeline - from sample preparation and screening to automated acquisition and beginner-friendly reconstructions. Finally, I will discuss how training standards and automation can reduce barriers for new users, improve the integration of cryo-EM into new fields and research areas, and open the door to more routine, hypothesis-driven cryo-EM studies across disciplines.

 

Prof. Carolin Seuring

University of Hamburg

Hamburg, Germany

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November 24th, 2026 at 12:15, room U1.197

 

Photogenic Molecules: Visualising the molecular basis of chloroplast gene expression

 

The genes that encode many plant photosynthetic proteins are located in the chloroplast genome. Due to the endosymbiotic origin of the chloroplast, the molecular machinery of chloroplast gene expression is unique: numerous poorly understood proteins have evolved to integrate a prokaryotic gene expression system into a eukaryotic host cell and support the regulation of photosynthesis during development and adaptation. Here, I will present our structural models of the chloroplast transcription and translation complexes, which we determined by cryo-EM. The chloroplast transcription complex comprises 21 subunits, and our structure reveals insight into the cooperation between prokaryotic and eukaryotic subunits. Our model of the chloroplast ribosome clarifies its composition and presents new hypotheses for how expression of photosynthetic proteins is activated by light. This work has provided a foundation for understanding the molecular basis of chloroplast gene expression and its role in establishing and maintaining photosynthesis in plants.

 

Prof. Michael Webster

John Innes Center

Norwich, UK

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December 8th, 2026 at 12.15, room U1.197

Prof Florian Wilfling

Max Planck Frankfurt

Frankfurt, Germany

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