Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology
Abbreviation | MPIMP |
---|---|
Formation | 1 January 1994 |
Type | Scientific institute |
Purpose | Research in plant physiology at a molecular level |
Headquarters | Golm, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany |
Key people | Caroline Gutjahr, Claudia Köhler, Ralph Bock |
Parent organization | Max Planck Society |
Website | (in English) |
The Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (German: Max-Planck-Institut für molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie) is a German research institute for molecular plant physiology, based in the Golm district of Potsdam, Brandenburg. Founded on 1 January 1994,[1] the MPIMP focuses on the study of the dynamics of plant metabolism and how that relates to the entire plant system. The institution is one of the 80 institutes in the Max Planck Society (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft).
Research
The MPIP's mission is to study the dynamics of plant metabolism in the context of the plant system as a whole. Since this system is more than a collection of genes and gene products, they focus our efforts on understanding how the individual components dynamically interact over time and under different conditions. By combining traditional biological approaches with techniques relevant to functional genomics, the institute is forming a holistic view of the structure, function, dynamics, and regulation of entire plant genomes, proteomes, and metabolomes.[2]
Organization
About 360 people, including students, work at the MPIMP. Currently there are people from more than 30 nations working at the institute. More than half of the employees are female. The institute has three directors, namely, Caroline Gutjahr, Claudia Köhler and Ralph Bock, all leading a specific research department.
Board of trustees
Alongside the dedicated scientists working within its walls, prominent individuals from industrial, financial, political and cultural circles form its Board of Trustees to strengthen and support the links between our institute and the greater community. The mentioned board overseas the affairs of MPIMP as well as neighboring
- Ulrich Buller - Senior Vice President Research Planning, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft
- Rolf Emmermann - Vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees, GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ)
- Detlev Ganten - Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Board of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- Norbert Glante - Member of the European Parliament
- Jann Jakobs - Mayor of the City of Potsdam
- Wilhelm Krull - Secretary General of the Volkswagen Stiftung
- Sabine Kunst - Minister of Science, Research and Culture, Brandenburg
- Wolfgang Plischke - Member of the Bayer AG board
- Robert Seckler - University of Potsdam
Scientific Advisory Board
In order to further and reinforce the institute's pursuance for knowledge of molecular plant physiology, MPIMP has collaborated with various experts from different universities around the world:[4]
- Ian Small (Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board, ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia)
- Eva-Mari Aro (Department of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, University of Turku, Finland)
- Julia Bailey-Serres (Department of Botany and Center for Plant Cell Biology, University of California, Riverside, California)
- Christoph Benning (Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, East Lansing, Michigan)
- Professor Edda Klipp (Department of Biology, Humbold-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin)
- Professor Albrecht E. Melchinger (Institute of Plant Breeding, Seed Science and Population Genetics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany)
- Stefan Schuster (Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany)
- Alison M. Smith (John Innes Centre, Department of Metabolic Biology, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom)
- Francis-André Wollman (Institute of Physicochemical Biology, National Center for Scientific Research, Paris)
Departments
Molecular Physiology
The Department of Molecular Physiology is focused on metabolism in its broadest sense, primarily using reverse genetics to alter plants and functional genomic approaches to analyze the pleiotropic effects of these alterations. Under Lothar Willmitzer, Molecular Physiology currently has seven research groups each with a corresponding head in parentheses:[5]
- Genes and Small Molecules (Lothar Willmitzer)
- Amino Acid and Sulfur Metabolism (Rainer Hoefgen)
- Applied Metabolome Analysis (Joachim Kopka)
- Central Metabolism (Alisdair Fernie)
- Experimental Systems Biology (Patrick Giavilisco)
- Systems Biology and Mathematical Modelling (Zoran Nikoloski)
- Systems Metabolomics (Dirk Steinhauser)
Metabolic Networks
The Metabolic Networks Department studies a wide set of physiological processes involved in orchestrating photosynthetic carbon metabolism, nitrogen and phosphate utilization, growth, and storage. Systems biology will be emphasized and forward and reverse genetic tools will often be used. Under Mark Stitt, the department currently has four research groups:[6]
- System Regulation (Mark Stitt)
- Intercellular Macromolecular Transport (Fritz Kragler)
- Regulatory Networks (Marek Mutwil)
- Plant Proteomics (Alexander Graf)
Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology
The Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology Department focuses on
- Organelle Biology and Biotechnology (Ralph Bock)
- Algal Biomineralization (André Scheffel)
- Cytoplasmic and Evolutionary Genetics (Stephan Greiner)
- Photosynthesis Research (Mark Aurel Schöttler)
See also
References
- ^ Staff (undated) "History". Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. "Scientific profile". Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. "Board of trustees". Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. "Scientific advisory board". Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. "Molecular physiology". Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. "Metabolic networks". Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ^ Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology. "Organelle biology, biotechnology and molecular ecophysiology". Retrieved 23 April 2014.