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Our goal is to understand, design, and produce artificial molecular systems operating at the interface between chemistry, biology, and physics. We study how individual proteins can be rationally designed or artificially evolved in the lab to control their function, such as binding to specific target molecules or catalyzing chemical reactions. We  take a multi-scale approach, developing and studying molecular systems across a range of length scales, from single-molecule behavior to the single-cell level and all the way up to macroscopic materials. We use tools including protein engineering, hydrogel chemistry, and single-molecule measurement techniques to develop engineered protein systems for medical therapy.

Our lab is a joint venture between the Department of Chemistry at the University of Basel and the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering of ETH Zurich. The lab was founded as part of the Swiss National Science Foundation’s National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) in Molecular Systems Engineering (MSE). For contact information and directions, please see here.