【36- A. Center for Structural Systems Biology】

◼ Research groups
Prof. Caroline Barisch, Prof. Kay Grünewald, Prof. Meytal Landau, Prof. Maria Rosenthal, Prof. Holger Sondermann, Dr. Roland Thünauer, Prof. Maya Topf, Prof. Charlotte Uetrecht, and details can be found here: https://www.cssb-hamburg.de/ 

◼ Research Field
  - Infectious diseases are a global threat that costs many lives and have a significant impact on society. The key to effectively fighting infectious diseases is gaining a detailed understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of various pathogens. At the Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), scientists study the structure and function of pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, parasites and amyloids, and their interactions with the host. In the process, CSSB’s fundamental research seeks to enable the identification of targets for interventions.

CSSB is a joint initiative of ten leading research institutions in Germany that are dedicated to advancing molecular infection biology. CSSB serves as a collaborative research hub, integrating cutting-edge methods such as structural biology, artificial intelligence and multi-modal imaging. CSSB’s state-of-the-art scientific infrastructure includes four core facilities: for  
i) protein production, ii) sample preparation, characterization & high-throughput crystallization, iii) advanced light and fluorescence microscopy, and iv) cryo-EM. Centrally located on the Science City Hamburg-Bahrenfeld campus, CSSB’s infrastructures are complemented by direct access to DESY’s X-ray beamlines, enabling our scientist to use a sophisticated combination of structural biology approaches.

◼ Required Research Field of Study
  - Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Microbiology, Molecular Life Sciences, or a related field

◼ Description of Research Activities During the Program
  - Work on innovative research projects in molecular structural infection biology

◼ Research Equipment or Software to be Used
  - At CSSB, research groups offering internships in this program investigate bacteria, viruses, and microbial and antibacterial amyloids, as well as host–pathogen interactions with a focus on infection research. Students will be trained the necessary technologies and software on site that will be specific in the groups of interest. Projects range from structural prediction using AI-based software to super-resolution and cryo-EM (live-cell or quantitative microscopy), structural mass spectrometry analyses and wet-lab experiments, depending on the student’s choice among participating CSSB research groups and project construction. 

◼ Website
  - https://www.cssb-hamburg.de/