Research Areas

in vivo biochemistry

There is a need for tools that enable near real time quantitation of biochemical and biophysical processes in living organisms that at the same time provide highly resolved spatial information. The Frommer group has extensive experience in the engineering and use of genetically encoded biosensors for quantitation of the dynamics of small molecules. Frommer’s ITbM group will systematically engineer sensors for important molecules as well as for biophysical processes.

Transporter-Substrate-Inhibitor interactions

Research in the second focus area aims at a better understanding of how transporters recognize their substrates, knowledge that we want to use, in combination with high throughput screening of chemical libraries, to create novel inhibitors and potentially new drugs and agrochemicals. The projects in this area are based on the experience of the Frommer groups in identifying many of the key transporters for small molecules in plants. These projects will be performed in close collaboration with the Itami, Yamaguchi and Tama groups. Chemical screens will be performed with Prof. Ayato Sato. We also collaborate with Kuwata’s group to identify protein-protein interactions and their effect on the function and selectivity of the transporters. While non-overlapping with the activities of the Frommer groups in Germany, a close network between the labs in Germany and at ITbM will be established to take full advantage of the unique opportunities.

Signal, receptor and signal transduction

We predict the existence of a large unexplored number of allosterically regulated proteins that modulate the activity of enzymes and transporters or function as ‘metabolic’ receptors. We will use various approaches to identify such proteins.

Environmental responses in plants and Cytoskeletons

Chemical genomics and live cell imaging will be performed to elucidate mechanisms linking perception of environment to cytoskeletal organization.