معرفی
Dr. Marion Schuller serves as a Lise Meitner Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Planegg-Martinsried, Germany, where she heads the Research Group on Host Cell Defense Mechanisms. Her research focuses on understanding bacteriophage-host interactions through the lens of ADP-ribosylation signaling pathways, with significant implications for developing novel antimicrobial strategies against multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
Dr. Schuller's work bridges fundamental biochemistry with potential clinical applications in the critical area of antimicrobial resistance. Her laboratory investigates how ADP-ribosylation functions in bacterial defense systems against viral infection, studying both the activation of bacterial effectors through ADP-ribose-derived molecules and the interference with viral replication processes through ADP-ribosyl groups bound to proteins or nucleic acids. This research integrates multiple disciplines including structural biology, microbiology, and biochemistry to uncover new targets for antimicrobial agents and develop biotechnological approaches, including phage-based therapies.
Analysis of Dr. Schuller's publication record from 2021-2025 reveals a consistent research trajectory focused on ADP-ribosylation across various biological contexts. Her work spans DNA, RNA, and protein modifications, with applications in antimicrobial development and viral infection mechanisms. A notable trend is her investigation of PARP family proteins and their roles in cellular defense mechanisms, with significant contributions to understanding reversible ADP-ribosylation processes and their implications for bacterial immunity. Her research on SARS-CoV-2 macrodomain inhibitors also demonstrates her ability to address emerging health threats through structural biology approaches.
- Discovery of reversing enzymes for RNA ADP-ribosylation reveals a possible defence module against toxic attack (2025)
- PARP14 is a PARP with both ADP-ribosyl transferase and hydrolase activities (2023)
- Molecular basis for DarT ADP-ribosylation of a DNA base (2021)
Dr. Schuller actively mentors researchers in her laboratory and is currently recruiting doctoral students for projects focused on bacteriophage-host interactions. Her research is supported by the Max Planck Society through the prestigious Lise Meitner Excellence Program, which provides funding for independent research groups led by outstanding early-career scientists. The program enables researchers to establish their own laboratories with significant resources for a period of five years, with potential for extension based on scientific excellence.
The Research Group on Host Cell Defense Mechanisms maintains an active research program investigating the molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions, with particular emphasis on the biochemical processes that govern bacterial defense against viral infection. Dr. Schuller's laboratory combines structural, biochemical, and microbiological approaches to unravel these complex systems, contributing significantly to our understanding of fundamental cellular processes with therapeutic potential.
