News from the Institute

International research teams from Goethe University Frankfurt and Jena University Hospital find mechanisms involved in regulation of structure and function of endoplasmic reticulum and elucidate a development of hereditary neurodegenerative diseases

Alexandra Stolz, group leader at the Institute of Biochemistry II of Goethe University Frankfurt, received one of the prestigious Exploration Grants from the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation. Her project aims to identify small molecules with impact on selective autophagy pathways that can be subsequently developed into potential drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. 

Lysosomes are small membranous organelles which are essential for recycling cellular waste. They are critical to cellular health and lysosomal dysfunction is a predominant feature of several diseases like lysosomal storage disorders, neurodegeneration and nephropathies. The absence of functional lysosomes leads to a build-up of toxic cellular waste which is detrimental to all aspects of cellular metabolism and function. 

Ivan Đikić, IBC2 Director and Brenda Schulman, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried will together be awarded the 2023 Louis-Jeantet Prize for medicine for their outstanding scientific achievements in the ubiquitin field.

Manuel Kaulich, professor at the Institute of Biochemistry II of Goethe University Frankfurt, was selected as an Henriette Herz Scout for the Alexander von Humboldt foundation. The Henriette Herz Scout program selects internationally recognised scientist, who demonstrated scientific excellence, successfully advanced the career of young scientist, and have large cooperation networks to open up opportunities for attracting international scientific talent. The award allows Manuel to recruit two international postdocs/scientist to his group and support their stay with a prestigious Humboldt fellowship, along a variety of educational and networking opportunities.