Welcome to the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics!

Welcome to the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics!

We study the structure and function of proteins which regulate vital cellular processes using a wide methodological repertoire including advanced light and electron microscopy and as well as computational biology.

Our Research


Ernst Bamberg – The Functional Analysis of Electrogenic Membrane Proteins
Martin Beck – Molecular Sociology
Ulrich Ermler – Enzyme Mechanism
Ana J. García-Sáez
Gerhard Hummer – Theoretical Biophysics
Werner Kühlbrandt – Structural Biology
Eugene Kim – Structure and Dynamics of Chromosomes
Melanie McDowell – Membrane Protein Biogenesis
Hartmut Michel – Molecular Membrane Biology
Bonnie Murphy – Redox and Metalloproteins
Beata Turoňová – Image Processing
Florian Wilfling – Mechanisms of Cellular Quality Control

Overview

Scientific Facilities


Sonja Welsch – Electron Microscopy
Julian Langer – Mass Spectrometry
https://brain.mpg.de/imaging

News

Abstract 3D representation with orange and black particles in a transparent cube.

iMOL Research Training Extended by DFG

Grants
The interdisciplinary Research Training Group Interfacing Image Analysis and Molecular Life Science (iMOL) at Goethe University Frankfurt has received approval from the German Research Foundation (DFG) to continue its work.
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Announcement of the ERC Grant for Ana García-Sáez; focus on mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilisation and extrusion of the inner membrane in apoptosis.

Ana García-Sáez Awarded Prestigious ERC Grant

Grants
The grant will support groundbreaking research on the dynamic architecture of mitochondrial membranes
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Meet us

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Work with us

You are looking for an inspiring job in a diverse environment? Check our job offers!
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Latest Publications

1.
Zeinert, R.; Zhou, F.; Franco, P.; Zöller, J.; Madni, Z. K.; Lessen, H.; Aravind, L.; Langer, J. D.; Sodt, A. J.; Storz, G. et al.; Matthies, D.: P-type ATPase magnesium transporter MgtA acts as a dimer. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2025)
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2.
Buckel, W.; Ermler, U.; Vonck, J.; Fritz, G.; Steuber, J.: The RNF/NQR redox pumps: a versatile system for energy transduction in bacteria and archaea. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 109, 148 (2025)
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3.
Lafargue, E.; Duneau, J.-P.; Buzhinsky, N.; Ornelas, P.; Ortega, A.; Ravishankar, V.; Sturgis, J.; Casuso, I.; Bergdoll, L.: Membrane lipid composition modulates the organization of VDAC1, a mitochondrial gatekeeper. Communications Biology 8, 936 (2025)
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4.
Mukherjee, R.; Bhattacharya, A.; Tomaskovic, I.; Mello-Vieira, J.; Brunstein, M. E.; Başoğlu, M.; Veenendaal, T.; Bailey, H.; Colby, T.; Misra, M. et al.; Eimer, S.; Klumperman, J.; Münch, C.; Matic, I.; Dikic, I.; Đikić, I.: Phosphoribosyl ubiquitination of SNARE proteins regulates autophagy during Legionella infection. The EMBO Journal (2025)
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