The Grünewald group develops methodological approaches to investigate the structural organisation of cells and the interactions between viruses and host cells. The elucidation of dynamic virus-host interactions and the underlying mechanisms is fundamental to understanding the complexity of viral infections.
Aim of their research is to elucidate the strictly regulated structural and functional organisation of a cell. Viruses and their interactions with host cells represent an attractive model system for the analysis of macromolecular interactions. To study the transient structures and states in their natural environment, the group uses cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) in combination with complementary techniques. This allows selected aspects of this highly ordered network to be investigated and protein complexes to be analyzed in situ.

 

KEY PUBLICATIONS

A nanobody specific to prefusion glycoprotein B neutralizes HSV-1 and HSV-2
Vollmer B, Ebel H, Rees R, Nentwig J, Mulvaney T, Schünemann J, Krull J, Topf M, Görlich D, Grünewald K. A nanobody specific to prefusion glycoprotein B neutralizes HSV-1 and HSV-2. Nature. 2025 Oct;646(8084):433-441
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40903574/

Molecular plasticity of herpesvirus nuclear egress analysed in situ
Pražák V, Mironova Y, Vasishtan D, Hagen C, Laugks U, Jensen Y, Sanders S, Heumann JM, Bosse JB, Klupp BG, Mettenleiter TC, Grange M, Grünewald K. Molecular plasticity of herpesvirus nuclear egress analysed in situ. Nat Microbiol. 2024 Jul;9(7):1842-1855
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38918469/

DNA origami signposts for identifying proteins on cell membranes by electron cryotomography
Silvester E, Vollmer B, Pražák V, Vasishtan D, Machala EA, Whittle C, Black S, Bath J, Turberfield AJ, Grünewald K, Baker LA. DNA origami signposts for identifying proteins on cell membranes by electron cryotomography. Cell. 2021 Feb 18;184(4):1110-1121.e16
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33606980/