Cytoskeleton: Architecture and movement of cells

The "Cytoskeleton" group focuses on the structure, self-assembly, and dynamics of protein fibers in cells, in particular on microtubules and their associated proteins which are responsible for cell movement, cell division, cell differentiation, or intracellular transport. One of the microtubule associated proteins, the tau protein, forms typical aggregates in nerve cells affected by Alzheimer's disease. Recent findings reveal a linkage between tau's multiple functions and the cellular transport system which could prove essential for the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease.