Research profile Dr. Changjiang You

The You group develops new, surface-based tools to study protein-protein interactions with utmost sensitivity and spatiotemporal resolution. Versatile surface biofunctionalization and micro-/nanofabrication compatible with diverse substrate materials are implemented in the group. These methods are used for various applications such as quantifying the structural dynamics of proteins by graphene induced energy transfer and for unravelling the mechanism involved in assembly of the Wnt signalosomes.

Research topics

• Spatially resolved surface biofunctionalization
• Interfacing live cells at micro-/nanostructured interfaces and nanoparticles
• Graphene induced energy transfer (GIET) for structural biology
• Liquid-liquid phase separation in the context of Wnt signaling

Model systems

• Purified protein and protein complexes
• Solid-supported model membranes
• Mammalian cells, mesenchymal stem cells

Methods

• Chemical modification of peptides, proteins and polymers
• Surface chemistry of silica/glass, gold, graphene, and germanium
• Photo-lithography and soft lithography techniques
• Label-free surface-sensitive detection
• Fluorescence spectroscopy, single molecule fluorescence microscopy

Selected publications

• Füllbrunn N, Li Z, Jorde L, Richter CP, Kurre R, Langemeyer L, Yu C, Meyer C, Enderlein J, Ungermann C, Piehler J, You C (2021):  Nanoscopic anatomy of dynamic multi-protein complexes at membranes resolved by graphene-induced energy transfer. eLife 10.
• Janda CY, Dang LT, You C, Chang J, de Lau W, Zhong Z. A, Yan K. S, Marecic O, Siepe D, Li X, Moody JD, Williams BO, Clevers H, Piehler J, Baker D, Kuo CJ, Garcia KC (2017):  Surrogate Wnt agonists that phenocopy canonical Wnt and beta-catenin signalling. Nature 545.
• Wedeking T, Löchte S, Richter CP, Bhagawati M, Piehler J, You C (2015):  Single Cell GFP-Trap Reveals Stoichiometry and Dynamics of Cytosolic Protein Complexes. Nano Letters 15.