Biophysics

The IMB's Biophysics teams deal with topics such as the interaction of proteins, lipids and other molecules in biological membranes. They also focus on developing new technologies for biomembrane research and creating active substances that can specifically influence membrane functions.

The three interdisciplinary teams in the IMB's Biophysics department are working on questions like these:

How do proteins, lipids and other molecules interact in biological membranes?
How can we develop new technologies for biomembrane research?
How can we create active substances that specifically influence membrane functions?

Leaders of the working groups

Univ.-Prof. Dr.rer.nat.
Sandro Manuel Keller

e-mail:
sandro.keller(at)uni-graz.at

Phone:+43 316 380 - 4987
ORCID iD: ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5469-8772

Web: https://homepage.uni-graz.at/de/sandro.keller/

Keller group

We investigate membrane proteins that are essential for cellular communication and drug discovery. We extract membrane proteins into native nanodiscs to study their structures, dynamics and interactions in a natural yet well-controlled environment using biophysical and molecular biological methods.

Assoz. Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn.
Georg Pabst

e-mail:
georg.pabst(at)uni-graz.at

Phone:+43 316 380 - 4989
ORCID iD: ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1967-1536

Web: http://homepage.uni-graz.at/de/georg.pabst/

Pabst group

We are interested in biological membranes and in particular the role of lipids, proteins and membrane-active substances in (patho)physiological processes. We focus on the asymmetry of membranes and the regulation of protein functions by collective membrane properties, which we investigate using a broad spectrum of biophysical methods.

Assoz. Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn.
Dagmar Zweytick

e-mail:
dagmar.zweytick(at)uni-graz.at

Phone:+43 316 380 - 4988
ORCID iD: ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4766-7713

Zweytick group

We develop innovative anti-cancer agents that are derived from human defense peptides and interact specifically with lipids in cancer cell membranes. These peptides are tested and optimized in biophysical model systems, 2D cell cultures and 3D tumor models. We have already patented a particularly successful class of antitumor peptides.