Membrane Biophysics

Welcome to the MEMBRANE BIOPHYSICS LABs: Basic research focusses on plant reproduction and generation of polarity in biological systems using the growing pollen tube as a model system. Pollen grains landing on a stigma start to germinate and grow a pollen tube through the stigma tissue towards the egg cells where the two sperm cells are released and eventually, fertilisation takes place. The production of human food relies on the successful fertilisation of plants to produce fruits, veggies, seeds, wine, bread, beer and beef.
Unfortunately, this process is very sensitive to water shortages. Drought stress during the fertilization process will result in crop losses and less food for human nourishment. We investigate the ability of the pollen, especially how pollen tubes cope with osmotic stress during tube growth and fertilisation. Therefore, the molecular mechanisms of osmosensors and osmoregulation signalling networks in pollen are studied as well as water and ion transport.
Different experimental strategies are used to investigate pollen growth and osmoregulation ranging from  ANALYTICAL MICROSCOPY and MEMBRANE PROTEINS to POLLEN SYSTEMS BIOLOGY.   

Recently, a new project on the biology of MICROALGAE has been started which will provide results for their use in circular green economy systems.

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