Alumni News - March 2009
NMR alumni celebrate opening of NMR centre at EMBL Heidelberg
Fabian Filipp
Fabian leaving the NMR facility in San Diego for more hard work and waves
Then: PhD student, Sattler Group, 2001-2007
Now: Postdoc, University of California, San Diego
Leaving Heidelberg in 2007, I never had the chance to feel homesick in the international science hub San Diego. In summer 2008 it was the host city of the ICMRBS, one of the most important scientific events in biomolecular NMR, so that was a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends. In true San Diego style, we organised an NMR surfing workshop – which, just like NMR , involves hard work and waves!
Having finished my postdoctoral project developing 13C based solid-state NMR methods to describe proteins in biomembranes, my advisor Stanley Opella has let me branch out and do some exploratory research. In a collaboration with Michael Burkart, I have begun a new project examining carrier protein guided lipid synthesis by NMR spectroscopy. Building such a pathway to independence is extremely important for young scientists and will provide the necessary preliminary data to secure research funding.
Our department has a strong collaborative ideal that reminds me very much of the inspiring network during my time at EMBL.
