PD Dr Ingrid Tessmer

Ingrid Tessmer is a group leader at the Rudolf-Virchow-Centre for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging of the University of Würzburg, Germany.

Ingrid's research uses atomic force microscopy (AFM) in combination with other biophysical and biochemical techniques to study protein-DNA complexes involved in DNA repair. AFM enables them to directly visualise molecular assemblies at the level of the individual molecules. They are particularly interested in understanding the different DNA damage recognition strategies and interplay between the various DNA repair mechanisms that exist inside our cells. A second focus in the laboratory is the experimental and analytical advancement of AFM to allow access to increased information on the samples.

 Recent publications:

Automated AFM analysis of DNA bending reveals initial lesion sensing strategies of DNA glycosylases D.M. Bangalore, H.S. Heil, C.F. Mehringer, L, Hirsch, K, Hemmen, K.G. Heinze, I. Tessmer (2020) , Scientific Reports 10(1), 15484l

Alkyltransferase-like protein clusters scan DNA rapidly over long distances and recruit NER to alkyl-DNA lesions N. Rill, A. Mukhortava, S. Lorenz, I. Tessmer (2020), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 117(17): 9318-9328

SV40 T antigen interactions with ssDNA and replication protein A: a regulatory role of T antigen monomers in lagging strand DNA replication N.O. Onwubiko, A. Borst, S.A. Diaz, K. Passkowski, F. Scheffel, I. Tessmer, H.P. Nasheuer (2020) Nucleic Acids Research 48(7): 3657-3677

Biography: Ingrid gained a PhD in Biophysics at the University of Nottingham, followed by postdocs at University of North Carolina (UNC), USA and the University of Würzburg, Germany, where she continued her research and her Habilitation in Biophysics (German eligibility for professorship) and is now a group leader.

Websites:

https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/rvz/research/research-groups/tessmer-group/

https://www.virchow-zentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de/tessmerlab/