The lab investigates principles of DNA replication in vertebrate cells. Complete and accurate replication of the genome is essential for life because it ensures the homeostasis of the genetic information during cell divisions. Although DNA replication has been extensively studied in yeast we know surprisingly little in vertebrates. Hence, we aim to advance our understanding how DNA replication occurs in vertebrates, how it is integrated into the cellular context, and how it is linked to genome instability and cancer.

The focus of the lab is to investigate the initiation step of replication because it is a major focus of regulation of DNA replication. The lab concentrates mainly on the Treslin-TopBP1-MTBP protein complex, which we demonstrated during my postdoc time in John Diffley’s lab to be a major regulation platform of initiation. This puts us into the position for the first time to unravel initiation processes from the perspective of one of the main players involved, Treslin-TopBP1-MTBP.

The 2013 NRW Rückkehrerprogramm award together with the interdisciplinary environment at the ZMB has allowed us to build a lab offering internationally competitive research conditions. Positions for genuinely interested PhD applicants and postdocs are available regularly. An affiliation of PhD students with the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) at the MPI of Molecular Physiology in Dortmund is possible.

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