Category: iRTG Program WiSe 2016/17

Talk by P. Enke at MLU (March 14, 2017)

Effect of Different Crowding Agents on Structure and Dynamics of Unfolded Proteins

The interior of a cell is completely filled with molecules like proteins, lipids, RNA, and more which can act as crowders. The so-called macromolecular crowding plays an important role in the dynamics and the structure of proteins, especially unfolded proteins and polypeptide chains.

To investigate the influence of crowder agents on the dynamics and structure of unfolded polypeptide chains we performed time-resolved ensemble FRET experiments with different sizes of crowders and different unfolded polypeptide chains. Continue reading “Talk by P. Enke at MLU (March 14, 2017)”

Career workshop: Know your competencies – find your job (March 6-7, 2017)

 

Careers in German universities and research institutes are difficult. Towards the end of your PhD or at the beginning of your postdoctoral years you need to decide whether you like to continue your career up to the professor or if you leave academia and public funded research institutes. This step is difficult to the biggest part of PhD-students because until then they did not find or try alternative career paths.

Continue reading “Career workshop: Know your competencies – find your job (March 6-7, 2017)”

Basic Concepts in Molecular Spectroscopy – March 16/17 2017

Aims

This module for physicists and chemists introduced the basic concepts in molecular spectroscopy, i.e. Infrared (IR), (surface enhanced) Raman- with imaging options and Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Optical Microscopy, Superresolution Microscopy and Single Molecule Fluorescence Detection. Continue reading “Basic Concepts in Molecular Spectroscopy – March 16/17 2017”

Talk by A. Korn at UL (February 21, 2017)

Serine substitution in Amyloid-β – a possible link between β-Methylamino-L-alanine and Alzheimer’s disease?

In 1944 Guam was recaptured and fortified by US forces. Decades later soldiers that were stationed at Guam developed ALS-PDC (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis–parkinsonism/dementia complex) 50-100 times the incidence of ALS. Also Guam’s natives, the Chamorro, are plagued by severe neurodegenerative diseases. When looking for a possible cause for this phenomenon, scientists soon focused on the neurotoxin BMAA, found in cycad tree fruits, an important food source in Guam. BMAA is a non- proteinogenic amino acid produced by cyanobacteria that can be enriched via the food chain in plants, seafood and higher animals. This is a critical factor because cyanobacteria are known for their excessive blooms not only in marine ecosystems but also in lakes that are used as fresh water source for millions of people.

Continue reading “Talk by A. Korn at UL (February 21, 2017)”

Project management in & outside academia

New, time limited and complex – such are the tasks generally undertaken as projects. A work environment without project work is almost unimaginable nowadays. And this is not only true for the non-academic sector: Even the doctorate is a project!

Proven project management tools pave the way for the professional development and planning of projects, for competent guiding of their implementation and for their successful completion. With the help of these tools even difficult steps in the project journey can be safely navigated.

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Talk by E. Schreck at MLU (6th December 2016)

Polymers on Surfaces – or how to catch them all

The talk  will feature recent developments in the lab. It focuses mainly on the preparation of thinnest polymer films / single molecules under UHV condition. It introduces the techniques quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS), quartz microbalance (QMB) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and how their results should lead to a successful preparation. A short overview of what is coming next will be given at the end of the talk.

Location: MLU Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 3, SR 1.03, 06120 Halle (Saale)
Date and time: 06.12.16 at 3.30pm

TRR67 IGK – Modul “Molecular Modelling” (05-16.12.2016) at UL

Molecular Modelling: HIGH THROGHPUT SCREENING IN DRUG DISCOVERY, led by Prof. Dr. Jens Meiler and Prof. Dr. David Weaver (Vanderbilt University); took place on December 05-16, 2016 from 9:00 to 12:00 in Leipzig.

This course provided the participants with a general introduction to theoretical and practical aspects of drug discovery with a focus on computer-aided drug discovery and high throughput screening.

Registrations closed!

Program molecular modeling 2016

Good scientific practice seminar

Every scientist doing research at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the University of Leipzig has to comply with the rules of good scientific practice.

In this workshop principles of good scientific practice, e.g. professional standards such as honesty and openness, as well as data preparation and documentation were discussed.
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Career Paths into Industry – Starting the application process (12./13. December 2016)

Assessing the labour market is not an easy thing to do. Finding the “right” job is a challenge and is an investment in time and energy. A clear roadmap will help to focus research about job positions and not to get lost in the many interesting opportunities offered by employers.

In this workshop, participants worked on their road map to a job in industry. The concept was based on intensive working units and coaching sessions to support participants in developing strategies for searching for the right jobs. Understanding the aim of application documents and combining the “right” information in those documents was one key aspect of the workshop. Understanding the mechanisms of personnel recruitment and the employer’s perspective was another important aspect to better meet employers’ needs. Providing hands-on methods and practical exercises directly on the participants’ profiles helped to initiate the first steps on their job road map.

Continue reading “Career Paths into Industry – Starting the application process (12./13. December 2016)”

Talk by P. Leube at UL (29th November 2016)

Characterization of the multiresponsive Poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) by spin probing EPR spectroscopy

The still rising number of publications dealing with stimuli-responsive polymers prove the high interest in such smart materials. Poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) exhibits thermo-, pH- and ionic strength responsive behavior in aqueous solutions, being a multiresponsive homopolymer [1]. The goal of this study is to under- stand, how the pH and ionic strength affect the thermoresponsivity of PDMAEMA.

Continue reading “Talk by P. Leube at UL (29th November 2016)”