Silke Hoffmann

Dr. Silke Hoffmann is a Group Leader at the Institute of Biological Information Processes (Structural Biochemistry, IBI-7) within Forschungszentrum Jülich, affiliated with Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf's Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Her research bridges autophagy and virology, focusing on GABARAP proteins' roles in intracellular transport and viral-host interactions.

Research Interests: Hoffmann investigates (1) autophagy-related proteins like GABARAP in non-autophagic processes such as vesicular transport and degradation of surface receptors; and (2) mechanisms by which viral proteins (HIV, HCV, DENV) hijack host cell machinery. Her work aims to identify therapeutic targets against viral replication and immune evasion.

Publication Trends: Hoffmann's recent articles (2012–2022) emphasize structural and functional studies of GABARAP proteins, viral nonstructural proteins (e.g., HCV NS5A/NS4A, HIV Nef), and membrane interactions. Key methodologies include super-resolution microscopy, proteomics, and biophysical characterization of protein complexes.

Advising & Funding: She has supervised 17+ students (PhD/Master’s/Bachelor’s) and secured funding from DFG (SFB1208, SFB974), MOI programs, and the Palestinian German ScienceBRIDGE.