Harald Bernhard
Post-doc, CNRS
Tel : +33 4 57 42 87 37
Email : harald.bernhard@ibs.fr
During my undergraduate studies in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Graz, I developed a strong interest in structural biology, which got me involved in several projects focusing on X-ray crystallography. My PhD work at EMBL Grenoble expanded on this interest, where I employed single-particle cryo-EM combined with biochemical methods to characterize proteins from the parasite Trypanosoma brucei.
At IBS, I am currently utilizing single-particle cryo-EM and cryo-electron tomography to investigate nucleoid organization and cell division in Deinococcus radiodurans. Bacteria are frequently subjected to environmental stresses such as UV radiation, temperature fluctuations, and pH changes, which requires fast and adaptive responses mechanisms for survival. One of the most efficient strategies involves whole genome reorganization, where regular and stress-induced nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs), play a critical role in organizing and packaging genomic DNA. We use Deinococcus radiodurans as a model organism and explore its remarkable resistance to ionizing radiation and investigate its cellular response to stress.