The Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2019
Prof. Horwich and Prof. Hartl present their fundamental work on chaperones – folding aids for proteins – at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut.
Misfolded or aggregated proteins are characteristic features of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. For error-free folding, proteins require folding aids – other proteins known as chaperones. Prof. Hartl conducted research into folding mechanisms, while Prof. Horwich deciphered the atomic structures using X-ray structure analysis. An understanding of this mechanism is essential for finding approaches for the successful treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
On the photo
Prof. Arthur L. Horwich, Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, Department of Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Prof. Klaus Cichutek, President of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut; Prof. Franz-Ulrich Hartl, Director of the Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Munich