SFB 1551

Picture a Scientist - an interactive workshop to raise awareness for diversity
2023-04-24 16:00 - 21:00 UTC | Institute of Molecular Biology, Ackermannweg 4, Mainz
Together with the SFB 1361 and GenEvo we are hosting an afternoon workshop to focus on empowerment and to raise awareness for diversity and against discrimination in order to promote a gender- and diversity-sensitive work and research culture.
Science careers are about the science, and they’re also about the people – including how people think about, and treat, each other. We all want a science system that rewards good ideas and good research and which treats everyone fairly. We also as a group have experienced or suspected (or maybe remained oblivious to) the reality that science systems are not always operating fairly for everyone. And when we lose good ideas and good people to injustices, we collectively hurt the quality of the science and our own ethics and values. Let’s look together at some of these themes that we inherited from the past and still live with today in order to change the system for the better.
We would like to invite all group leaders, postdocs and PhD students to join us for a productive discussion and lively exchange of views at our first event on Monday, April 24 2023 4.15-9 pm at IMB, followed by dinner. What we have planned is:

an interactive workshop led by Prof. Heather Hofmeister, looking at patterns in our own and others’ experiences in Germany and comparing German academic power structures to those in other countries, followed by
the screening of the documentary feature-length film from 2020 called “Picture a scientist” about the experiences of underrepresented groups in several fields of science, and afterwards,
work out conclusions and solutions together – and then we get to the pizza!

About the moderator
Heather Hofmeister is a Professor, Speaker, Leader, Coach, Writer, and Researcher. She holds a full Professorship for Sociology of Work at the Goethe University, Frankfurt and is co-director of the Center for Leadership and Behavior in Organizations (CLBO). She researches and speaks internationally on topics in work, gender, diversity, leadership, careers, and science, using a life course and international comparative perspective.
Hofmeister served three years as Vice-Rector at RWTH Aachen University as the first woman in the Rectorate from age 35 and held the first professorship of Sociology with the specialty in Gender and Life Course Research there. In Frankfurt, she served as Chair of the Department of Sociology, Chair of the Board of Examiners, and Dean of Studies at the Goethe University Faculty of Social Sciences. She has led and currently leads large interdisciplinary research projects as PI, serves on the Board of Trustees of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and served on the Board of Trustees at the University of Bamberg. Hofmeister is a trained coach, and she facilitates groups and classes of up to 800. Hofmeister came to Germany from the USA with a Ph.D. from Cornell University in 2002. https://www.heather-hofmeister.com/

About the Movie: Picture a Scientist
Who actually does science? And why is it often still “the male scientist” who wins prestige in our imagination? In PICTURE A SCIENTIST, a female biologist, a female chemist and a female geologist take on these questions and lead the audience on a journey through the experiences of their academic careers.
Using their biographies as examples, the film deals with a variety of problems that are also relevant in the German university system. These include sexualised harassment in everyday university and research life, exclusion mechanisms and unequal treatment, multiple discrimination and the role of leaders and institutions. The film shows the achievements of the past decades, but also makes visible the resistance women have to face at every level of the academic world. It has a disturbing, outrageous effect – and calls for action.

This workshop is open to to all members in our network(s). You may register by filling out our online form here: https://forms.office.com/e/900buyAJbv Registration will come on a first-come, first-served basis.

General Assembly of the SFB 1551
2023-03-16 09:00 - 12:30 | Schulz-Horner Gebäude, C02, Duesbergweg, Mainz, 55128, Germany
This will be the SFB 1551 ‘s first general assembly for all members and associates where we will be discussing general topics such as budgets, seminar talks and planned retreats/summer schools.

We have 3 talks planned by PIs who’d like to join our network:
Carla Schmidt (Biochemistry)
Jan Padeken (IMB)
Shikha Dhiman (Chemistry)

TRR 319 - RMaP and SFB 1551 Seminar - Frederic Allain & Elizabeth Hartland
2023-03-13 14:00 - 16:00 | IPBW Seminarraum I EG 00.111, Staudingerweg 5, Mainz
Talk announcement for the seminar of TRR 319 – RMaP and the SFB 1551

*FUS RNA binding, phase separation and aging as studied by NMR spectroscopy*
by Prof. Dr. Frederic Allain, Institute of Biochemistry
ETH Zurich, Switzerland

*“Legionella, host cell RNA and immunometabolism*
by Prof. Elizabeth Hartland, Monash University
Director and CEO, Hudson Institute of Medical Research
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Australia

Biochemisches Kolloquium & SFB 1551 Seminar Series - Dariush Hinderberger
2023-02-08 17:00 - 18:30 | Biocenter II, Seminarraum EG 00.602, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, Mainz
Talk announcement for the Biochemisches Kolloquium (im Wintersemester 22/23) and the SFB 1551

*Turning protein hydration and dehydration as well as function in protein hydrogels – from elastin-like polypeptides to albumin hydrogels*
Abstract: Protein self-assembly into phase-separated states or hydrated, high concentration hydrogels is intricately linked to hydration and dehydration structure and dynamics. Here, it will be shown how mainly electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy on paramagnetic tracer molecules can be used to characterize phase-separating elastin-like polypeptides and derived polypeptides that show thermal hysteresis. Furthermore, the vast tuning parameter space of high-concentration protein hydrogels is explored for the platform of albumin-based hydrogels, hydrogel function can be tuned by e.g. post-translational modification or pH.
by Prof. Dr. Dariush Hinderberger
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg,
Institut für Chemie – Physical Chemistry
Dariush_Hinderberger_Talk

Colloquium "Macromolecular Sciences" and the SFB 1551 - Evan Spruijt
2023-01-25 17:00 - 18:00 | MPI-P Lecture Hall, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz
Talk announcement for the colloquium “Macromolecular Sciences” and the SFB 1551

*Coacervates as organisers of biomolecular chemistry*
Evan Spruijt
Institute for Molecules and Materials
Radboud University, Nijmegen

Abstract:
Coacervates are condensed liquid-like droplets that can be
formed with molecules ranging from short peptides and
nucleotides to long polymers through liquid-liquid phase
separation. They have been studied extensively in colloid and
interface science for their remarkable materials properties,
and now receive increasing attention as in vitro models
mimicking biomolecular condensates.[1] Moreover, their
ability to sequester a wide range of biomolecules creates a
broad range of opportunities for synthetic cell applications.
However, challenges remain to control phase separation in
crowded environments, to tune interactions between
coacervates and with membranes, and to tailor coacervates
for specific functions. In this talk, we will focus on addressing
these three key challenges by answering the following
questions:
(i) How does the cellular environment affect the formation and
properties of biomolecular condensates and other
coacervates?[2,3] (ii) How do coacervates interact with each
other and with membranes?[4] (iii) How do coacervates
influence the self-assembly and aggregation of proteins?[5]
References
[1] Coacervates as models of membraneless organelles.
Yewdall, N.A., André, A.A.M., Lu, T. and Spruijt, E., Curr. Opin. Colloid Int. Sci. (2021), 52, 101416.
[2] Crowding-induced phase separation and gelling by co-condensation of PEG in NPM1-rRNA condensates.
André, A.A.M., Yewdall, N.A. and Spruijt, E., Biophys. J. (2022), in press.
[3] ATP:Mg2+ shapes condensate properties of protein-RNA condensates and their partitioning of clients. Yewdall, N.A.,
André, A.A.M., Van Haren, M.H.I., Nelissen, F.H.T., Jonker, A. and Spruijt, E., Biophys. J. (2022), 121, 3962-3974.
[4] Endocytosis of coacervates into liposomes. Lu, T., Liese, S., Schoenmakers, L., Weber, C.A., Suzuki, H., Huck, W.T.S. and
Spruijt, E., JACS (2022), 144, 13451-13455.
[5] Biomolecular condensates can both accelerate and suppress aggregation of α-synuclein. Lipiński, W.P., Visser, B.S. Robu,
I., Abolghassemi Fakhree, M.M., Lindhoud, S., Claessens, M.M.A.E. and Spruijt, E., Science Advances (2022), 8, abq6495.
