© MPI-CBG

Research Focus

Our lab combines cell biology, theory and biophysics to study how the large-scale patterns and behaviors of biological structures emerge from the collective behaviors of molecules. We currently focus on the underlying principles of self-organization of spindles and nuclei from Xenopus laevis egg extracts and zebrafish Danio rerio embryos.

Our home is shared between the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems and the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics.

Jan Brugués Group

Self-organization of biological structures

Research Group Leader: Jan Brugués Group
Discipline: Biophysics
Affiliation:  Physics of Life / CSBD
Contact: brugues@mpi-cbg.de
Research Group Website: Jan Brugués Group
Programs DIGS-BB | Physics of Life Excellence Postdoctoral Fellowships | ELBE Postdoc Program

Current news by this research group

Simon Alberti Group,Alf Honigmann Group,Anthony Hyman Group,Marcus Jahnel Group

A role for RNA in Stress Granules assembly

Stress granules are membraneless compartments formed by phase separation of specific molecules upon exposure to cellular stress such as oxidative stress, heat shock, or osmotic stress. The Alberti, Jahnel, Honigmann, and Hyman labs published a study in cell highlighting the role of RNA in the…

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Simon Alberti Group

Filament formation by the translation factor eIF2B regulates protein synthesis in starved cells

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), the enzymes responsible for coupling tRNAs to their cognate amino acids, minimize translational errors by intrinsic hydrolytic editing. Here, we compared norvaline (Nva), a linear amino acid not coded for protein synthesis, to the proteinogenic, branched valine…

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Moritz Kreysing Group,Simon Alberti Group,Anthony Hyman Group

Condensation regulates translation

New insights into the influence of Ded1p condensation on translation comes from the Hyman, Alberti and Kreysing labs. The study published in Cell is entitled "Condensation of Ded1p Promotes a Translational Switch from Housekeeping to Stress Protein Production". Graphical abstract:

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Simon Alberti Group

Alberti Lab is accepting applications for MSc, PhD, and Postdoc

We are always looking for highly motivated and creative students. Students interested in a master’s project with a focus on biochemistry, biophysics or cell biology are encouraged to apply. Students interested in a PhD project should apply to the Dresden International Graduate School for…

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Simon Alberti Group,Stefan Diez Group,Anthony Hyman Group,Marcus Jahnel Group

Local nucleation of microtubule bundles through tubulin concentration into a condensed tau phase

Theskeleton that supports the structure of our cells, termed cytoskeleton is formed of several kinds of polymers including actin and microtubules. How the single units on the polymers (monomers and dimers) are concentrated to gether to synthesize the polymer is the subject of this study by the labs…

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