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Poul Nissen


Structural Neurobiology - Structural and Functional Studies of Membrane Proteins in Brain

 

The Nissen group investigates the structure and molecular mechanisms of membrane transport processes, receptors, and biomembrane ultrastructure. Activities are mainly focused on using cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM), protein crystallography, biochemistry, electrophysiology, and include also small-angle X-ray scattering and cryo-electron tomography.

A major topic of research interest is membrane transporters and receptors involved with neurological and psychiatric disorders, e.g. P-type ATPase that include ion pumps and lipid flippases, but also sodium-dependent amino acid, neurotransmitter transporters, and insulin receptor signaling are studied, as well as supramolecular structures of neuronal membranes addressing cooperative networks governing e.g. action potentials and synaptic functions. Studies also include structure-based drug discovery and protein engineering.

Our investigations link also to translational studies of neurological and psychiatric disorders associated with perturbed ion transport or metabolic control. 

Methods development, integrative structural biology, and bioimaging are also of great interest to the group.

Research Areas: Membrane proteins, Membrane transport and signaling, single-particle Cryo-EM, Cryo-Electron Tomography, Crystallography, Biochemistry, Drug discover

Available projects

The Nissen group currently has projects available for master and project students.

See current research projects in the laboratory here (link opens pdf)

See overview of current study opportunities in the laboratory (link opens new page)

Please contact Charlott Stock (cs@mbg.au.dk), if you have interest in a student project in our research group.

News

Welcome to visiting postdoc Julian Schreiber in Poul Nissen's group

- People news

We welcome Julian Alexander Schreiber as visiting postdoc in Poul Nissen's research group from the University of Münster, Germany. Julian will be…

PhD Student Gülberk Bayraktar awarded the "DCM Poster Prize"

PhD Student Gülberk Bayraktar (left) and interim DANDRITE Director Poul Henning Jensen (right).
- Grants and awards

Finalising the Spring season of the DANDRITE Community Meetings, DANDRITE hosted a poster session featuring all who has presented at the bi-weekly…

Welcome to new postdoc William Batista dos Santos in Poul Nissen's group

- People news

We welcome William Batista dos Santos as a new postdoc in Poul Nissen's research group. William will be working with a project, where he combines…

Previous news from the research group

Previous news

Great symposium on Iceland last week

- Events

The 8th Annual Symposium on ATP1A3 in Disease 2019 took place 3-4 October 2019 on Iceland, hosted by the AHC Association of Iceland, and supported by…

Welcome to Mads Christensen, new PhD student in Poul Nissen's group at DANDRITE

- People

Mads Christensen started as PhD students in Poul Nissen's group per 1 August 2019. He will be working with a project on the Na,K-ATPase, which is a…

Welcome to Azadeh Shahsavar, new Assistant Professor in Poul Nissen's group at DANDRITE

- People

Azadeh Shahsavar has been employed as an Assistant Professor for 2 years per 1 August 2019, funded by a project grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation…

Joseph Lyons is prolonged as Assistant Professor in Group Leader Poul Nissen's group

- People

Joseph Lyons continues as Assistant Professor in Group Leader Poul Nissen's group per 1 June 2019. Joseph is working with single-particle cryo-EM…