Ingmar Schäfer

Dr. Ingmar Schäfer is a Professor and Chair of Structural Membrane Biology jointly at the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden (PLID) and the Center of Membrane Biochemistry and Lipid Research (ZML) since April 1, 2024. Previously, he worked as a Senior Scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry. His expertise spans structural biology, cryo-electron microscopy, and the study of cellular trafficking/signaling pathways and mRNA metabolism proteins.

Education:

• Diploma in Human and Molecular Biology from Saarland University (Germany)
• PhD from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Cambridge, UK)

Research Focus: His work centers on structural and mechanistic studies of signaling pathways in pancreatic islets, leveraging cryoEM to visualize biological structures at near-atomic resolution. This research aims to advance understanding of diabetes pathophysiology and metabolic diseases, aligning with the missions of PLID, ZML, and the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD).

Affiliations: The appointment marks the first structural biology professorship in Saxony and the DZD, integrating TU Dresden’s Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus with Helmholtz Munich and the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus.