Heinrich Roder

Heinrich Roder is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Temple University's College of Science and Technology and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. He conducts his research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, where he leads a laboratory focused on fundamental questions in protein science, including protein folding, dynamics, and structure-function relationships.

• PhD in Biophysics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland, 1981
• MA, Honoris causa, University of Pennsylvania, 1990

Dr. Roder's research centers on the mechanisms of protein folding, particularly fast kinetics and early structural events, as well as the functional roles of intrinsically disordered protein regions. His lab employs advanced biophysical techniques such as NMR spectroscopy, hydrogen-deuterium exchange, fluorescence, and rapid mixing methods. A major focus includes understanding how conformational changes and ligand binding are coupled in proteins, with implications for diseases involving protein misfolding. His group also investigates signaling adapter proteins like NHERF and KIR3DL1, exploring how their structural dynamics regulate cellular signaling.

The recent publications (2014–2022) reflect a strong trend in protein folding kinetics, NMR methodology development, and the structural characterization of intrinsically disordered regions and signaling complexes. His work spans biophysics, structural biology, enzymology, and molecular recognition, often integrating experimental and computational approaches to elucidate folding mechanisms and binding interactions.

Notable scientific honors include service on NIH and NSF review panels, keynote speaking engagements, editorial board memberships in leading journals such as Biophysical Journal and Protein Engineering, Design & Selection, and the Kresge Challenge Grant. He has also been recognized with an honorary degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Roder actively mentors postdoctoral researchers and has advised several trainees, including Takuya Mizukami, Hong Cheng, Ming Xu, and Ruzaliya Fazlieva. His lab benefits from sustained research funding, enabling the development of novel methods like carbon-detected NMR for mapping binding sites in disordered proteins, for which he holds a U.S. patent. He also participates in the Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship, supporting student training and research volunteering.

The Roder Lab, located in R407 at Fox Chase Cancer Center, operates as an interdisciplinary research team combining biophysics, biochemistry, and cell biology. The lab has developed tools like Sphere, a server program for hydrogen exchange rate estimation, and continues to explore receptor clustering, phase separation, and the structural basis of bivalent interactions in immune and growth signaling pathways.