Research Projects

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Following the integrated concept of the GRK1910 all research projects are highly collaborative and interdisciplinary. Doctoral projects are supervised by at least 3 group leaders. The name of the primary supervisor of each project is given below. The majority of projects are aimed to be handles by a graduate student within three-year doctoral studies. Additionally, some projects are designed to give talented postdoctoral researches the opportunity to further qualify and to take advantage of the interdisciplinary environment of the GRK1910 for up to 2 years.

Project areas

Following an integrated concept, 13 collaborative doctoral Projects are addressed within the research Training Group. Additionally, postdoctoral projects are intended to promote the careers of highly talented and motivated junior scientists and to improve networking between the project groups by exploring new approaches and techniques of particular importance in the field.

The projects, which are assigned to the research areas A, B and C, aim to better understand selectivity principles of GPCR-ligand interactions and to exploit this knowledge for a rational design of highly selective GPCR ligands. The project proposals P are intended to promote the careers of highly talented and motivated junior scientists and to improve networking between the project groups by exploring new approaches and techniques of particular importance in the field.

 

A) Selective GPCR-ligand interactions
Projects to understand and control selectivity; Structure or ligand based design, ligand synthesis, binding studies and functional assays, mutagenesis discovery of ligands with novel selectivity profiles.

B) Selective GPCR tracers and tools
Synthetically driven projects establish crucial methodology and apply for tools (PET ligands, switchable ligands).

C) Selective GPCR-mediated signal transduction
Projects to develop and apply individual assays to characterize selective ligands integratively (proteomics, label-free assays, ion channel modulation).

P) Postdoc Projects

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List of projects


Project description Supervisor(s)
  Project area A  
A1 Development of functionally selective GPCR ligands Prof. Peter Gmeiner
A2 Histamine receptor ligands: Sub­type, functional and ortholog selectivity PD Dr. Andrea Strasser
A3 Bifunctional histaminergics (terminated) PD Dr. Andrea Strasser
A4 Dualsteric ligands for muscarinic acetylcholine receptors Dr. Max Keller
A5 Allosteric GPCR modulation by small-molecule CXCR3 ligands (terminated) Dr. Nuska Tschammer
A6 Understanding the principles of selectivity by homology modeling and simulation of ternary complexes Prof. Tim Clark
A7 Peptide-like and non-peptidic selective ligands for the neuropeptide Y Y4receptor Dr. Max Keller
A8  Effect of GPCR sequence variability on ligand binding properties Prof. Heinrich Sticht
  Project area B  
B1 Photochromic GPCR ligands Prof. Burkhard König
B2 Selective neuropeptide receptor radioligands for imaging studies in vivo by positron emission tomography (PET) Prof. Olaf Prante
B3 Synthesis of selective GPCR ligands by "late stage" functionalization Prof. Markus Heinrich

 B4 

 Synthetic GPCR mimics Prof. Jutta Eichler
B5  Peptidergic GPCR ligands with unnatural amino acids Prof. Oliver Reiser
  Project area C  
C1 Label-free analysis of GPCR activation in adherent cells  Prof. Joachim Wegener
C2 Targeted proteome analysis for the analysis of GPCR mediated signal transduction Prof. Monika Pischetsrieder
C3 GPCR-mediated modulation of ion channels (will be terminated) Prof. Kristina Friedland
C4  Bivalent ligands targeting homo- or heterodimers of dopamine D2-like receptors Dr. Dorothée Weikert
C5  Deciphering signaling pathways for LPAR-dependent gene transcription and tumor therapy  Prof. Susanne Mühlich
  Project area P  
P1 Conformational control of GPCRs by functionally selective ligands Prof. Peter Gmeiner
P2 Mapping GPCR-activation in adherent cell monolayers using imaging SPR Prof. Joachim Wegener