Welcome to the Mittermaier Lab
The focus of our lab is biomolecular dynamics. We seek to understand how proteins, DNA, RNA, and metabolites change shape, react, and assemble with one another. This knowledge aids the development of new types of drugs and bioinspired materials and sheds light on the physical chemical principles that underlie living systems.
What are biomolecular dynamics?
Proteins, DNA, and RNA are in constant motion, changing shape, binding and releasing target molecules, and catalyzing chemical reactions.
Why are they important?
We can't understand how biological systems function if we don't know how they move. The changing structures and assemblies of biomolecules give rise to complex emergent behaviours including life itself.
How do we measure them?
We use physical chemical theory to explore what biomolecules CAN do, spectroscopy and calorimetry to detect what they ARE doing, and computer modelling to combine this information in new ways and gain fresh insights.
Where do we apply this knowledge?
We seek to better understand how health, disease, and life itself arise from the moving parts of living systems. We leverage this information with our collaborators to help design better drugs and new types of bio-inspired materials.
The Mittermaier Lab