Bonnie Murphy

Bonnie Murphy is a Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt, Germany, leading an independent research group focused on understanding the structure and mechanism of redox and metalloproteins. Her work combines single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) with biochemical and electrochemical techniques to study proteins involved in bioenergetic processes, particularly metalloproteins and redox proteins critical for climate, health, and planetary systems.

Her research emphasizes structural dynamics linked to redox states, enabling insights into protein function through conformational changes. She develops novel cryo-EM methods, such as elemental mapping via reconstructed electron energy-loss analysis, to improve the interpretation of protein complexes. Her interdisciplinary team welcomes candidates from microbiology, biochemistry, chemistry, and physics.

Key projects include structural studies of methanogenic megacomplexes, mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster assembly, and Streptococcus pneumoniae NADPH oxidase. Recent publications highlight breakthroughs in anaerobic carbon fixation mechanisms and sulfur transfer dynamics during protein complex assembly.

Bonnie Murphy’s group is part of the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, collaborating internationally to advance structural biology and biophysical methods. Contact: bonnie.murphy@... or via the group’s webpage.