PhD Thesis in Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry

Protection of Malaria by Haemoglobin Abnormality: Quantitative Study on Cell Mechanics and Dynamic Cell Adhesion

Physical Chemistry of Biosystems, Univ. Heidelberg (Prof. M. Tanaka)
Collaborative Research Center CRC1129

It has been known that people carrying sickle cell haemoglobin (HbS) and the related haemoglobin C (HbC) are protected from the severe malaria, but the mechanism how the haemoglobin abnormality modulates the clearance in spleen is largely unknown. Within the framework of DFG Collaborative Research Center CRC1129 (Integrative Approach Pathgen Spread), we shed light on how the haemoglobin abnormality influences the mechanical properties of malaria-infected red blood cells and their dynamic adhesion to vascularture surfaces by developing unique experimental techniques. This project is carried out under tight collaboration with the groups from parasitology (Prof. M. Lanzer) and theoretical physics (Prof. U. Schwarz).

Tanaka Lab is searching for a PhD candidate in physics or chemistry, who is motivated to perform PhD thesis in an interdisciplinary team tackling medically relevant problems using biophysics.

If you have interest, please contact:

Prof. Motomu Tanaka (Tanaka_at_uni-heidelberg.de)
Physical Chemistry of Biosystems, Institute of Physical Chemistry

Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg