GRK 2243:  Understanding Ubiquitylation: From Molecular Mechanisms To Disease

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: since 2017
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 285767414

The posttranslational modification of proteins by ubiquitin ("ubiquitylation") has taken centerstage in eukaryotic cell biology. Ubiquitylation triggers the degradation of damaged proteins,cell cycle regulators, transcription factors and metabolic enzymes by the 26S proteasome.Moreover, it serves as a versatile mark in many non-proteolytic processes such as DNAdamage repair, receptor signaling and endocytosis. Given the multi-faceted cellular functionsof protein ubiquitylation, it is not surprising that perturbations of the ubiquitin system causallycontribute to the pathogenesis of a multitude of diseases including cancer, neurodegenerativedisorders and infectious diseases. In many cases, however, neither the precise functionof the affected ubiquitin system component in healthy individuals nor details of the pathogenesisfollowing its impairment are known. These limited mechanistic insights constitute an obstacleto the design of efficient therapeutic strategies and emphasize the requirement forcontinued efforts in basic research to better understand the ubiquitin system.The major scientific goal of this Research Training Group is the elucidation of biochemicaland pathogenic mechanisms underlying ubiquitin-related diseases. The research programwill generate a thorough mechanistic understanding of disease-relevant enzymes of theubiquitin system that will guide the subsequent molecular and cellular analysis of the pathogenicconsequences of their malfunction. The long-term objective of the Research TrainingGroup is the identification of novel strategies for the treatment of ubiquitin-related diseases.There is a growing demand for highly qualified scientists with excellent knowledge of themolecular basis and the biomedical aspects of protein ubiquitylation. The qualification programof the Research Training Group is therefore aimed at training the participants in a widespectrum of state-of-the-art methods and emerging concepts in ubiquitin research, coveringstructural biology, biochemistry, molecular cell biology, infection biology, tumor biology andmedicinal chemistry. The scope of this integrated training program in ubiquitin research isunique in Germany and will prepare the next generation of doctoral researchers for a rangeof careers in academia as well as biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Alexander Buchberger
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Andreas Brunschweiger, since 10/2023; Professor Dr. Michael Decker; Professor Dr. Markus Elmar Diefenbacher, until 9/2023; Professor Dr. Martin Eilers; Professorin Dr. Caroline Kisker; Professorin Dr. Vera Kozjak-Pavlovic; Dr. Sonja Gisela Lorenz; Professor Dr. Thomas Rudel; Professor Dr. Hermann Schindelin; Professor Dr. Christoph Sotriffer; Professorin Dr. Bettina Warscheid, since 6/2023; Professor Dr. Elmar Wolf, since 4/2020