Jun.-Prof. Patrycja Kielb
Argelander Professorship for Biohybrid Research
Research professorship in the Transdicplinary Research Area „Building Blocks of Matter and fundamental Interactions (Matter)“ of the University of Bonn.
BioSpectroElectrochemistry of natural and artificial metaloproteins
Parycja Kielb and her team aim at exploring how nature performs complicated redox reactions constituting key processes in the environment and life, like biomass degradation and or cellular respiration. At the heart of such processes are often redox biocatalytic metalloproteins which present the main inspiration for our mechanistic investigations. The research team wants to understand how they can harness and further engineer the unrivaled efficiency of such natural biological systems towards the development of artificial biohybrid systems applicable in bioelectronic devices.
Methodologically, they employ the combination of experimental techniques including advanced Raman spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and protein engineering. Specifically, surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectro-electrochemistry allows them to correlate the structural information of the molecule interfaced on electrodes with its redox functionality.
Junior Prof. Dr. Patrycja Kielb
CV
Patrycja Kielb studied Molecular Biophysics at Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland which she completed with a Master Degree in 2012. Before finishing her Master’s, she performed various reserach internships: (i) at the Insittute of Catalysis and Physical Chemistry of Interfaces, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland and (ii) at Institute of Chemistry and Biology in Lisbon, Portugal as an Erasmus Scholar. After these research experiences, she became passionate about exploring the mechanistic details of catalytic reactions in natural systems. She continued to investigate these topics as a PhD Scholar of Excellence Cluster of Unifying Concepts in Catalysis (UniCat) at TU Berlin under supervision of Prof. Dr. Inez Weidinger and Prof. Dr. Peter Hildebrandt (Biophysical Chemistry). In this time, she explored redox properties and structure-function relationship of various heme-containing bio- and molecular catalysts which she defended in 2017 with summa cum laude. After her PhD, she joined the group of Prof. Harry B. Gray (Bioinorganic Chemistry) as a postdoc where she investigated the role of protein matrix in supporting redox reactions in metalloprotiens on the example of Cu-containing enzyme. In 2020, she returned to Germany for her 2nd postdoc at University of Potsdam with JProf. D. Henrike Müller-Werkmeister (Physical Chemistry). Shortly after that, in 2021 she started her independent group at the University of Bonn.
Research
- Electron transfer via coupled Tyr/Trp networks in metalloenzymes
- Unraveling the molecular mechanism of O2-converting copper-containing enzymes
- Rational design of artificial copper/heme-containing biocatalysts
- UV/Vis Raman spectro-electrochemistry – method development
Teaching
- Advanced Physical Chemistry (obligatory module for MSc Chemistry)
- Biophysical Chemistry (elective module for MSc Chemistry)
2021: Argelander Professorship for BioSpectroElectrochemistry, University of Bonn
2020 - 202: Postdoc, University of Potsdam, Group of H. Müller-Werkmeister
2017 - 2019: Postdoc, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, USA, Group of Harry Gray and Jay Winkler
2013 - 2017: PhD in Biophysical Chemistry, Technical University Berlin, Group of Inez Weidinger and Peter Hildebrandt
2007 - 2012: M. Sc. in Biophysics (integrated with Bachelor Degree), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Third-Party Funded Projects
DAAD Collaborative grant with France PROCOPE
Duration:
2023-2024
DFG Major Research Instrumentation Grant for Raman Spectrometer
Duration:
2022
Global Cooperation Network Grant between University of St. Andrews and University of Bonn
Duration:
12/2021
Postdoc Bridge Fellowship, University of Potsdam
Duration:
02/2020 – 07/2020
Awards/Prizes
Best Poster Presentation Award
Year:
2015
Awarded at:
16th European Conference on the Spectroscopy of Biological Molecules, Bochum, Germany
Publications
Does tyrosine protect S. coelicolor laccase from oxidative degradation or act as an extended catalytic site?
Kielb*, Teutloff, Bittl, Gray*, Winkler*
J. Phys. Chem. B. 126, 7943-7949 (2022).
Switchable redox chemistry of hexameric Tyrosine-coordinated heme protein.
Kielb, Utesch, Kozuch, Jeoung, Dobbek, Mroginski, Hildebrandt, Weidinger*
J. Phys. Chem. B. 121:3955-3964 (2017).
Spectroscopic observation of calcium-induced reorientation of cellobiose dehydrogenase immobilized on electrodes and ist effect on electrocatalytic activity.
Kielb, Sezer, Katz, Lopez, Schulz, Gorton, Ludwig, Wollenberger, Zebger, Weidinger*
ChemPhysChem 16(9):1960-1968 (2015).
Further information
Press release
You can also read the press release about the start of Patrycja Kielb at the University of Bonn.
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