Clemens Plaschka

Clemens Plaschka serves as Senior Group Leader at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna since 2025, previously holding a Group Leader position from 2018-2024. His research program investigates fundamental mechanisms of eukaryotic gene expression with emphasis on mRNA maturation and nuclear export processes.

His academic training includes:

• PhD in Biochemistry from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (2015)
• Postdoctoral research at Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (Göttingen, 2015) and MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Cambridge, 2016)

The Plaschka Lab employs integrated structural biology to dissect molecular machines involved in pre-mRNA splicing and mRNA export. Using cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, and complementary biochemical approaches, the lab reveals how dynamic RNA-protein complexes achieve precise regulation of gene expression. Current work focuses on spliceosome quality control mechanisms and the structural basis for selective mRNA packaging and nuclear export.

Recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate consistent leadership in structural RNA biology, with Nature papers establishing mechanistic frameworks for mRNA export and spliceosome disassembly. The work reveals how ATP-dependent conformational changes drive export competence and how spliceosomal remodeling controls splicing fidelity.

Key recognitions include:

• EMBO Young Investigator award

The lab maintains robust funding through multiple competitive grants including an ERC Starting Grant and FWF projects. Dr. Plaschka actively supervises graduate students and postdocs, providing training in cutting-edge structural and molecular techniques. The lab participates in the Vienna BioCenter PhD Program and offers direct application routes for motivated researchers.

As part of the Vienna BioCenter research ecosystem, the Plaschka Lab collaborates extensively with neighboring institutes while maintaining its distinctive focus on high-resolution structural analysis of RNA-processing machines. The lab culture emphasizes rigorous mechanistic inquiry and technical innovation in structural biology.