Prof. Dr. Christian Spahn

Director and Group leader

Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics
Charitéplatz 1
10117 Berlin

Campus / internal address:
CharitéCrossOver, Virchowweg 6

Expertise

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) in combination with digital image processing (single particle approach) to determine the structure of large macromolecular assemblies and machines
Structure and function of macromolecular machines
Mechanism of protein biosynthesis and translational control

Vita Prof. Dr. Christian Spahn

Academic education
1991 - 1996	Doctoral studies (Dr. rer. nat.) in Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin
1986 - 1991	Studies (Diploma) in Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin

Academic degrees
1996	Dr. rer. nat., Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, advisor: Prof. Dr. K. H. Nierhaus (MPI für Molekulare Genetik)
1991	Diploma, Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Prof. Dr. K. H. Nierhaus (MPI für Molekulare Genetik)

Professional career
2009 - present	Head of the Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
2007 - present	Professor (W3) for Biophysics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
2007	Offer of a research professorship (W3) for “Cryo-Elektronenmikroscopie” in the framework of the Cluster of Excellence “Cellular Network”, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, offer declined
2007	Offer of a professorship (W3) for “Electron Cryo-Microscopy of Large Macromolecular Complexes” in the framework of the Cluster of Excellence “Macromolecular Complexes”, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt (Main), offer declined
2006 - 2007	Professor (W2) for Biophysics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
2002 - 2007	Young independent research group leader (VolkswagenStiftung): “Signalstrukturen der mRNA und ihre Interaktionen mit dem Translationsapparat - Kryo-Elektronenmikroskopie makro-molekularer Maschinen“
2002 - 2006	Junior professorship, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
2002	Offer of a assistant professorship, Columbia University, New York, and the position of a head of cryo-electron microsopy, New Yok Structural Biology Center, offer declined
1998 - 2002	Research assistant, Howard Hughes Medical Institute / Health Research Inc., group of Prof. Joachim Frank
1996 - 1998	Research assistant, MPI für Molekulare Genetik, group of Prof. Dr. K. H. Nierhaus

Fellowships and awards
2016	Elected Member of the Leopoldina
2014	Elected Member of EMBO
2004	EMBO Young Investigator Award (2005-2007)

Activities in the scientific community (since 2006)
2018 2014	Co-Organizer international symposium "Membranes and Modules" (together with W. Nickel und S. Sigrist) Co-Organizer international symposium “Membranes and Modules” (together with S. Sigrist and Z. Ignatova)
2012 - 2016	Principal investigator of a Human Frontier Science Programme-funded research group “From the end to the beginning: termination and ribosome recycling in eukaryotic translation”
2012 - present	Vice-speaker of the DFG-research unit FOR 1805
2012	Chair of the Gordon Research Conference “Three Dimensional Electron Microscopy”
2011 - present	Speaker of the CRC 740 “From Molecules to Modules”
2011	Vice-chair of the Gordon Research Conference “Three Dimensional Electron Microscopy”
2009	Co-Organizer international symposium "Membranes and Modules" (together with V. Haucke)
2007 - 2010	Co-founder and vice-speaker of the CRC 740 “From Molecules to Modules”
2006	Chairman CSHL Translational Control Meeting