The Institute

Research groups within the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics study molecular structure and function of biological molecules using a combination of biochemistry, molecular biology and structural biology methods including NMR, crystallography and Electron Microscopy.  We investigate DNA and RNA complexes with proteins and large cellular assemblies involved in the expression of genetic information, the mechanisms of protein folding and assembly as well as cellular machines responsible for protein degradation. We also study how membrane proteins catalyse transport across membranes and the function of assemblies involved in cell to cell interactions. Mechanistic studies are also complemented with research aimed at methods development in structural biology.

Over the past several decades our institute has made fundamental discoveries that advanced our understanding of cellular processes at molecular level and contributed in an important way to development of methods used for such studies. This work has been recognised by numerous scientific honours that members of our institute received including the Nobel Prize, Kyoto Prize, Heinrich Wieland Prize, and Max Bergman Medal. Furthermore, two members of our institute received Louis Jeantet Prize and Marcel Benoist Prize. Among our faculty are also two members of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A, five EMBO members, and four members of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.

We carry out a strong teaching program for BSc, MSc and doctoral students. We teach biology students the chemical basis of biological processes through our courses in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.