Start of funding 01.07.2021

Probing the Interface of Biological Phase-Separated Compartments

Prof. Jan Lipfert
Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich

Prof. Aaron D. Gitler
Stanford University
Department of Genetics



Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is emerging as a universal mechanism to compartmentalize the cell interior and to coordinate metabolic pathways. In addition, LLPS plays critical roles in pathologies such as viral infections and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. A better understanding of LLPS, therefore, presents a promising new route towards the development of antivirals and drugs to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

The susceptibility to drug candidates is critically dependent on the physicochemical nature of the interface separating membrane-less compartments from the surrounding cellular environment. In this collaborative project, we will establish an experimental platform that relies on multimodal atomic force microscopy in combination with high-throughput screening technology to i) measure and understand the properties of the interfaces of phase separated compartments and ii) interrogate how candidate drug molecules modulate them.