June 16, 2017
His specialization is computer-aided biophysics. By developing new methods and applications for membranes and membrane proteins, Professor Wonpil Im has made a name for himself in professional circles. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has now awarded the American citizen the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award for his outstanding scientific achievements. The award is endowed with 45,000 euros. Professor Im will now be conducting research at Jacobs University.
Biophysics examines and describes the processes in biological systems using the laws of physics and its measurement methods. Prof. Im’s working group at Lehigh University in the American state of Pennsylvania, among other things, developed a specialized website, the CHARMM-GUI website. Using this website, researchers throughout the world can generate molecular simulations of membranes and membrane proteins more simply and more precisely than previously possible.
The prize also involves conducting a self-chosen research project in Germany. Professor Im will devote himself to antibiotic research, specifically modeling bacterial membrane channels and the transport of molecules, in particular antibiotic molecules, by proteins. This research will be conducted in close collaboration with two professors at Jacobs University, Dr. Ulrich Kleinekathöfer, Professor in Theoretical Physics, and biophysicist Prof. Dr. Mathias Winterhalter.