November 2023
After 12 years of successful research at the University of Konstanz the Collaborative Research Center 969 will end by next month. To celebrate our research we will have a closing symposium “Two Days of Proteostasis in Konstanz” which will be held at the Steigenberger Inselhotel in Konstanz, on the 9th and 10th of November.
July 2023
On Tuesday, 4 July 2023, EMBO announced the admission of 69 new members and associate members. Elke Deuerling, Professor of Molecular Microbiology and spokesperson of our Collaborative Research Centre 969 “Chemical and Biological Principles of Cellular Proteostasis” at the University of Konstanz, is among the scientists who have received this lifetime honour in 2023.
Fiona Watt, EMBO Director said: “These remarkable scientists have unravelled molecular secrets of life, deepened our understanding of health and disease, and are paving the way for further discoveries and innovations. Their achievements reinforce the critical role that life science research plays in the lives of citizens across Europe and the world.
See also the press release of EMBO and of the University of Konstanz.
April 2023
Our SFB’s summer term seminar series will start on the 18th of April – Magnus Wolf-Watz from Umeå University will give his talk about fundamental principles in protein biochemistry. This semester, the talks will be held in room M629! See the full program here: sfb969.de/seminars. The colloquia of this summer term will start on the 19th of April with the talk of Per Rogne, also from Umeå University, see the program here: sfb969/colloquia.
January 2023
To commemorate Marcus Groettrup, the Department of Biology, together with the Biotechnology Institute Thurgau and the CRC969, holds the Immunology Symposium Konstanz at the University of Konstanz on the 12th and 13th of January 2023.
Thursday, 12. January 2023
14:00 – 14:15 Welcome – Prof. M. Scheffner (Head of the Department of Biology)
Session 1: Hematopoetic Stem Cells and Apoptosis regulation
14:15 – 14:40 Prof. T. Brunner, Konstanz: The nuclear receptor LRH-1 in T cell development and function
14:40 – 15:20 Dr. N. Cabezas-Wallscheid, Freiburg: Regulation of dormant hematopoietic stem cells
15:20 – 16:00 Dr. M. Yabal, München: Cell Death and Innate Immunity
16:00 – 16:45 Coffee Break
16:45 – 17:30 Prof. H. Farhan, Innsbruck: Elucidation of Secretory Proteostasis as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy in Multiple Myeloma
Friday, 13. January 2023
Session 2: Cancer immunity and designer T-cells
08:30 – 08:55 Prof. D. Legler, Konstanz: Chemokine-driven leukocyte guidance in health and disease
08:55 – 09:35 Prof. M. Thome, Lausanne: MALT1-dependent signalling in lymphocyte activation and lymphomagenesis
09:35 – 10:15 Prof. K. Schumann, München: CRISPR-engineering of human T cells in health and disease
10:15 – 10:45 Coffee break
Session 3: Immune Cell Metabolism and Immunoproteasome
10:45 – 11:10 Dr. M. Basler, Konstanz: Autoimmune diseases, inflammation, transplantation – new fields of immunoproteasome inhibitor application
11:10 – 11:50 Dr. A. Rambold, Freiburg: Controlling immune cells from within – orga-metabolic circuits shape immune cell functions
11:50 – 12:30 Dr. L. Surace, Bonn: Innate lymphoid cells as metabolic regulators of the tumor microenvironment
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
Session 4: Innate Immune cells and interaction with microbes
14:00 – 14:25 Prof. C.R. Hauck, Konstanz: Phagocytosis by the granulocyte receptor CEACAM3
14:25 – 15:05 Dr. S. Tugues Solsona, Zürich: The journey of an innate lymphocyte: development, homeostasis and disease
15:05 – 15:45 Dr. C. de Oliveira Mann, München: Nucleotidyltransferases in Antiviral Immunity
15:45 – 16:00 Concluding remarks and farewell Prof. M. Scheffner (Head of the Department of Biology)
November 2022
This winter term’s SFB969-seminars will start on the 8th of November with the talk of Justin Benesch from the University of Oxford. See the full program here: sfb969.de/seminars. Our SFB969-colloquia will start on the 22nd of October 2022 with the talk of Avena C. Ross from the Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, see the full program here: sfb969/colloquia.
June 2022
With great sadness we announce that our CRC969 Principal Investigator Marcus Groettrup has passed away on the 2nd of June. Marcus was an exceptional and enthusiastic scientist and headed the research projects C01 and C09. See also the obituary of the Department of Biology.
April 2022
This summer term’s SFB969-seminars will start again on the 19th of April with the talk of Ilya Kuprov from the University of Southampton. See the full program here: sfb969.de/seminars. Our SFB969-colloquia will also start again live on campus with the talk of Heiko Möller from the University of Potsdam on the 20th of May, see the full program here: sfb969/colloquia.
After two years of corona pandemic we will have our biannual SFB969-symposium on campus again this year, on the 7th and 8th of April in A701! Even though the official corona rules of the state Baden-Württemberg and the University of Konstanz have been withdrawn, the University strongly advises to wear a face mask (FFP2 at best) in the lecture halls during talks.
January 2022
Our junior researcher Thomas Böttcher moved to the University of Vienna in winter term 2020_2021. In December 2021 his research project C06 in our CRC969 has ended – we wish him all the best for his future research in Vienna!
November, 08, 2021
A new research consortium has been founded at the University of Konstanz which is headed by the principal investigator of SFB969-project C03 – Malte Drescher. This consortium will establish a new core facility where a spin-based quantum light microscope will be implemented and developed further to analyze the folding state of spin-labeled proteins at their individual location in living cells at light microscopic resolution. For more information see also here.
October, 20, 2021
SFB969-Seminars of winter term 2021/2022 will be held on campus again and will start on the 30th of November!
SFB969-Colloquia of winter term 2021/2022 will also be held on campus again and will start on the 11th of October!
April, 20, 2021
SFB969-Seminars of summer term 2021 will start on the 1st of June! They will be held online.
Due to the Corona pandemic all seminars and colloquia of summer and upcoming winter term have been postponed.
March, 02, 2020
SFB969-Seminars of summer term 2020 will start on the 21st of April!
SFB969-Colloquia of summer term 2020 will start on the 20th of April!
November, 22, 2019
The CRC 969 has been positively evaluated and granted a third 4-years funding period (2020 – 2023) by the DFG!
October 2019
SFB969-Seminars of winter term 2019/2020 will start on the 22nd of October!
SFB969-Colloquia of winter term 2019/2020 will start on the 10th of December!
May 2019
SFB969-Seminars of summer term 2019 will start on the 7th of May!
SFB969-Colloquia of summer term 2019 will start on the 13th of June!
March 2019
PhD position for 3 years in Proteostasis (Salary Scale TV-L 13 / 50%), available immediately
We are looking for a highly motivated PhD student with a Master in Life Sciences such as Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry or Chemistry to work at the Department of Biology of the Excellence University of Konstanz, Germany
The research of this position majorly deals with proteotoxic stress related to human neuro-degenerative diseases such as Chorea Huntington, Alzeimers’ or Parkinsons’ using Caenorhabditis elegans as animal model system. The main goal of the project is to understand the role of the Hsp-1 (Hsp70) chaperone under proteotoxicity induced by the expression of aggregation-prone proteins. For an overview of the general topic of the research group see https://www.biologie.uni-konstanz.de/deuerling/
Please send your application including your CV, your Masters Degree / a transcript of current study status, a motivation letter and two letters of reference or reference contacts. All application documents should be sent to the Secretary of the Chair of Molecular Microbiology erika.oberer-bley@uni-konstanz.de
October 2018
Our biannual SFB969-Symposium “Two Days of Proteostasis in Konstanz” will be held on the 11th and 12th of October!
July 2018
New SFB969 Research Project C08 has started!
In July Prof. Erika Isono has joined the SFB969 and started a new research project in Research Area C that focuses on the analysis of protein aggregation and degradation. In the new project C08, Erika Isono investigates the mechanisms of endocytic degradation of plant plasma membrane proteins and the role of the deubiquitylase AMSH and its interaction partner ALIX in this process.
May 2018
New SFB969 Junior Research Projects have started!
This month three new projects led by junior researchers were established in the SFB969. Dr. Annette Aichem from the Biotechnology Institute Thurgau investigates how the ubiquitin-like modifiers SUMO and FAT10 are regulated at the structural and functional level. Dr. Oleksandra Kukharenko from the Zukunftskolleg of the University of Konstanz uses molecular dynamics simulation together with machine learning and statistical analysis to characterize functional conformational changes of proteins and protein complexes. Dr. Karthikeyan Navalpur Annamalai from the group of Prof. Elke Deuerling addresses how chaperones and co-chaperones aid living cells to eliminate toxic protein substances which otherwise would impair their proper function.
April 2018
PhD position for 3 years in Proteostasis (Salary Scale TV-L 13 / 50%)
We are looking for a highly motivated PhD student with a Master in Life Sciences such as Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry or Chemistry to work at the Department of Biology of the Excellence University of Konstanz, Germany
The research of this position majorly deals with proteotoxic stress related to human neuro-degenerative diseases such as Chorea Huntington, Alzeimers’ or Parkinsons’ using Caenorhabditis elegans as animal model system. The main goal of the project is to understand the role of the Hsp-1 (Hsp70) chaperone under proteotoxicity induced by the expression of aggregation-prone proteins. For an overview of the general topic of the research group see https://www.biologie.uni-konstanz.de/deuerling/
Please send your application including your CV, your Masters Degree / a transcript of current study status, a motivation letter and two letters of reference or reference contacts. All application documents should be sent to the Secretary of the Chair of Molecular Microbiology erika.oberer-bley@uni-konstanz.de
The deadline for applications is 30.04.2018.
April 2018
SFB969-Seminars of summer term 2018 will start on the 17th of April!
SFB969-Colloquia of summer term 2018 will start on the 18th of April!
January 2018
The interdisciplinary SFB 969 “Chemical and Biological Principles of Cellular Proteostasis” analyzes different aspects of proteostasis processes that control the activity of proteins in space and time and thus ensure a fully functional proteome.
The SFB 969 was established in 2012 and is currently in its second funding period.
One of the goals of the SFB 969 is to support and promote the scientific career of advanced level postdoctoral researchers and junior research group leaders who might join the SFB 969 in the next funding period as junior group leaders/PIs with a new independent project.
To support such projects the SFB 969 offers funding for a doctoral student and consumables for up to 20 months per project. Advanced postdoctoral researchers or junior group leaders from the Departments of Chemistry or Biology of the University of Konstanz who pursue a project that is related to the topic of the SFB 969 are encouraged to apply for support.
Please send your CV, publication record, and a short description of your project (2 pages) not later than January, 31, 2018, to Elke Deuerling.
In case that you have further questions please contact Elke Deuerling
(Elke.Deuerling@uni-konstanz.de)
November 2017
SFB969-Seminars of winter term 2017/2018 start on the 28th of November!
Summer term 2017
SFB969-Seminars of summer term 2017 will start on the 20th of June!
November 2016
SFB969-Seminars of winter term 2016/2017 start on the 15th of November!
Open positions available
Applications of motivated young scientists for a PhD position or for a doctoral thesis are always welcome. At present there are several positions available:
Project A06
Doctoral Researcher Position
For our group at the Department of Biology at the University of Konstanz we are looking for a doctoral researcher with a molecular biology or biochemistry background. An interest in bioinformatics and modeling would be an advantage and script writing skills a plus. Our group develops and applies novel mass spectrometric and proteomic approaches together with integrated modelling to quantitatively study the content, assembly, interactions and dynamics of protein complexes involved in proteostasis.
The University of Konstanz is consistently ranked among the best universities in the world and is an “Elite University” as part of the excellence initiative of the German Government. There is also the possibility to participate in the Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology (KoRS-CB).
Please send your application including a CV, references, and a short letter of motivation by Email to Florian.Stengel(at)uni-konstanz.de
February, 01, 2016
Since February Dr. Sandra Weimer is the new Gender Consultant for Natural Science working in the Office for Equal Opportunity and Family Affairs. Scientists can contact her with regard to questions concerning the organization of equal opportunities and family-friendly conditions in the CRC 969.
November, 19, 2015
The CRC 969 has been positively evaluated and granted a second 4-years funding period (2016 – 2019) by the DFG!
for more details see here
J O B O F F E R No. 2014/042, Junior Professorship
The Department of Biology in the Faculty of Sciences is seeking promising candidates for a
W1 – Junior Professorship in Proteostasis
to be filled as soon as possible.
Details about the position and application procedure can be found here.
Please note: the deadline for the application is 31st of March 2014!
November 2012
Since November, scientists working in the CRC 969 can contact Dr. Anja Matuszak with regard to questions concerning the organization of equal opportunities and family-friendly conditions in the CRC 969. Dr. Matuszak is the new Gender Consultant for Natural Science working in the Office for Equal Opportunity and Family Affairs.
April, 10, 2012
Signals from the inside: International team of researchers receives HFSP Grant for innovative research project
On the 26th of March 2012, the „Human Frontier Science Program Organization“ (HFSPO) has granted the speaker of the CRC 969, Prof. Elke Deuerling, and two of her colleagues, Prof. Judith Frydman from Stanford University and Prof. Sheena Radford from the University of Leeds, more than one million USD for a highly innovative, interdisciplinary research project.
In this worldwide competition 25 Program Grants were selected from a total of almost 800 original letters of intent. For Deuerling this is the second grant awarded by the renowned organisation. Already in 2002 she received the „Young Investigator Grant“ from HFSPO together with Prof. Nenad Ban (from the ETH Zurich).
The planned studies of Elke Deuerling and her colleagues focus on the elucidation of the mechanisms that ensure that newly synthesized proteins become correctly folded and modified which is crucial for the functionality of the proteome. Most proteins produced by any genome are processed during their synthesis on ribosomes, including cleavage of the N-terminal methionine, N-terminal acetylation, transport to a membrane channel or association with molecular chaperones for folding. These processing steps are usually specific for the type of protein made and often crucial for cell survival, as their occurrence affects the localization, stability and activity of proteins. Elke Deuerling and her colleagues assume that the ribosomes synthesizing a new protein may have a sensing mechanism that signals the type of the emerging nascent peptide from the interior of the ribosomal exit tunnel to the exterior of the ribosome for co-translational recruitment of appropriate chaperones and enzymes. Thus, the proteins themselves made by ribosomes coordinate the presence of all components required for their folding and modification as soon as they exit the ribosome. The nature of these signals is completely unknown. It is also unclear, how the chaperones and enzymes required to modifiy a particular protein bind to the ribosome.
The collaborative efforts of the three research teams will enable to answer these questions. The development of sophisticated biochemical systems to study protein folding processes is a core competence of Elke Deuerling. Judith Frydman has expertise in designing methods to study chaperone networks in living cells. Sheena Radford develops innovative biophysical techniques to analyze protein folding. The combination of these diverse skills and methods will provide a better understanding of this fundamental biological phenomenon.
The HFSP organisation is located in Strasbourg, France, and is financed by the G7 states, the Europaean Union and Switzerland, Norway, Australia, Neu Zealand, India und the Republic of Korea. HFSPO supports basic research in life sciences that is highly innovative and awards Research Grants for projects involving extensive collaboration among teams of independent scientists working in different countries and in different disciplines.