Mission and Research Strategy

Mission

GBB has the ambition to perform research of the highest standard in the field of biomolecular sciences, with a focus on proteins. We aim to understand the structure and dynamics of proteins in relation to their function and activity; to unravel the functional role of proteins in living cells; and to obtain insights in the fundamental properties of proteins that are relevant for application in health and the future bio-based economy. GBB also aims to provide an attractive research and training environment for (under)graduate students and postdoctoral fellows by maintaining a modern infrastructure and by appointing highly competent staff members. 

Strategy

Due to a tradition of multidisciplinary collaborative research with specialisation in key areas, GBB has achieved a strong reputation in protein structure determination and analysis, biochemistry, molecular genetics, and molecular cell- and microbiology. The research primarily is fundamental and curiosity-driven. It forms, however, the basis for various specialised applied-oriented research programmes, e.g. on the structure and function of (membrane) proteins, the discovery and engineering of new enzymes and metabolic pathways relevant for medical and biotechnological applications, and the analysis of complex cellular processes such as signal transduction, apoptosis and organelle biogenesis. Often, these key research programmes involve the joint participation of GBB groups that have a complementary expertise, with the input of know-how and facilities that are much broader than those of a single research group. The research programme of GBB is centred on the functional role of proteins in complex cellular processes (signal transduction, transport, organelle biogenesis), aiming on one side at unraveling the functioning of living cells in their environment and on the other side to exploit this knowledge for engineering proteins and microorganisms for bio(nano)technological and / or medically relevant applications.  

The research programmes of GBB focus on the following key areas:

(Molecular) Systems biology and bioinformatics

Molecular Cell Biology of complex cellular processes

Membrane Proteins

Structure-function relationship of proteins

Microbial biotechnology and biocatalysis

Chemical and Synthetic Biology

Model systems of medical relevance