David Haselbach heads new IMP technology platform
Structural biologist David Haselbach is becoming the IMP’s first head of a technology platform. This new type of faculty position anchors a research group with technology-driven interests and broad, collaborative research portfolios to the IMP in the longer term.
David Haselbach is a structural biologist using mainly cryo-electron microscopy in his work. He joined the IMP initially as a fellow in 2017 and was promoted to group leader three years later. Taking up the role of Head of the cryo-EM Technology Platform, he now becomes a new type of principal investigator for the IMP.
Technology Platform status can be given to a research group which focuses on technology-driven questions, and which aligns strongly with biological questions of other research groups at the IMP, as well as other institutions of the Vienna BioCenter. The Vienna BioCenter is often praised for its collaborative spirit, and the cryo-EM Technology Platform will take this a step further and systematically strive for research collaborations. The Haselbach lab already has a long record of successful joint research projects with other groups at the IMP.
Like any academic research group at the IMP, the Technology Platform will enjoy full academic freedom with the principal investigator choosing research questions. It will continue to participate in the Summer School, PhD Program, and postdoc training. As opposed to core facilities, the Technology Platform will not provide defined services.
“I am excited that the IMP has decided to formalise its commitment to technology-driven research in this way,” says David Haselbach. “As a Technology Platform, we will have the perfect setup to link cutting-edge techniques with curiosity-driven research – which also makes the group a great place for training. I invite potential PhD students and postdocs to apply and join.”
About David Haselbach
David Haselbach joined the IMP as a fellow in 2017 and was promoted to Group Leader in 2020. Haselbach uses novel biophysical techniques, especially cryo-electron microscopy, to watch molecular machines in action to understand their design principles.
Before joining the IMP, Haselbach was a postdoc at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, where he also did his PhD. Prior to that, Haselbach conducted research in single molecule biophysics for his master’s thesis at the Technical University of Munich. He had first ventured into the realm of the Max Planck Society through research for his bachelor’s thesis at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin. You can learn more about the work of David Haselbach and his group in an audio portrait or two IMP Mini Lectures (here and here).
Further Reading