Welcome to the Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science

At the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, we have established the Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science to carry on in the tradition of Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang and to address some of the questions which after 60 years are still left fundamentally unanswered:

How do proteins attain their functionality?
What role does dynamics play in protein function and how is this interplay comprehensively described and predicted?
How do cells regulate the life cycle of a protein from synthesis to degradation?
Can we use this knowledge to design new enzymes with new activities?

The questions are addressed by applying sophisticated methods through projects spanning the realms of fundamental and applied science.

Registration for the KULLC Symposium 2021 is now open!

Research in the Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang Centre

The research at the Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang Centre takes place in three research groups sharing equipment and collaborating closely on idea development and project execution. Read more about the individual groups below.


	Protein Biology Group Protein Biology Group home page The research in the Protein Biology Group targets proteins in their interaction with their native environments in the cells. The topics investigated include protein degradation, protein biosynthesis, signaling and enzymology.

	Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory SBiNLab homepage The research within SBiNLab focuses on the structure, folding and dynamics of proteins, employing state-of-the-art NMR and computational methods. Research includes: (i) Intrinsically Disordered Proteins, (ii) The relationship between dynamics and function of proteins incl. enzymes, (iii) methods to integrate NMR and computation, and (iv) applications of (i)-(iii) in the study of biological processes incl. signalling.

	Protein Design and Evolution group PDE homepage The Protein Design and Enzymology Group (PDE) focuses on understanding how the primary protein structure (the sequence of aminoacid residues) relates to the 3-D structure and function. The overriding themes in our research portfolio are: Protein Design, Protein Dynamics, Protein Evolution and Protein Function.

History of Kaj Ulrik Linder-Strøm Lang (1896-1959)

The Danish scientist Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang was one of the most influential pioneers in the area of protein structure and function from the 1940’s until his death in 1959. At the Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen, he established a highly inspiring research environment which attracted many of the very best researchers in the field (amongst these the later Nobel laureate Christian Anfinsen). Through the design of novel highly sensitive micromethods Linderstrøm-Lang engaged subjects ranging from protein dynamics, electrochemistry, structure and stability. Through this work he continuously pushed the limits of what questions could be addressed and laid the foundations of modern protein chemistry. At the time Copenhagen was broadly recognized as a Mecca for protein science.

Some of the most important contributions of Linderstrøm-Lang for which he is often cited are the theory behind hydrogen-deuterium exchange reactions in proteins and the distinction of primary, secondary and tertiary protein structure. The latter was first presented in his Lane medical lectures at Stanford University School of Medicine in 1951 and published in the transcripts of the lectures in 1952. The relevant part of the transcript can be downloaded here: <a href="/english/research/bms/illustrations/kull_-_lane_medical_lectures_iii.pdf" title="Linderstrøm-Lang KU. (1952) " proteins="" and="" enzymes="" lane="" medical="" lectures="" stanford="" university="" publications="" series="" sciences="" vol="" 6="" press="" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Linderstrøm-Lang KU. (1952) "Proteins and Enzymes", Lane Medical Lectures, Stanford University Publications, University Series, Medical Sciences, vol. 6, Stanford University Press.

Many of the questions, he put forth in the 1950’s, still puzzle the scientific community today.

For students

PhD projects

We offer a range of different PhD projects, often in collaboration with international academic coworkers or industrial domestic partners. As a phd student you are accepted into the PhdDschool at the Faculty of Science and become part of the PhD program in Protein Science. Please apply directly with the individual principal investigators.

MSc and BSc Student Projects

The group has an extensive collaboration around techniques and subjects. When working in the group you will be confronted with the following techniques either directly in your own project or through the person on the bench next to you. The major techniques used include:

Protein expression and purification
Biophysical techniques (protein stability and folding)
Immunological techniques (Western blot analysis, immunoprecipitation)
Molecular biology (cloning, PCR, mutagenesis)
Protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions (pull-down, gel-retardation)
Mammalian cell culture (overexpression, RNAi, specialized assays)
Plant molecular biology
Genetic screening and two-hybrid analysis
Analytical techniques (UV-VIS and fluorescence spectroscopy, RP-HPLC)

The Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang Centre has a strong focus on education and welcome new students in the lab. We generally have about 20 masters and 20 bachelor students in our laboratories. All students participate in weekly seminars, where they give at least one short presentation while working in the lab. If you want to hear more about working in the Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang Centre from a student perspective you are welcome to contact one of the students in the staff list.

You can find current proposals for BSc and MSc projects within the Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang Centre in our project database.

Courses

The Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang Centre offers teaching in the BSc and MSc and PhD courses on protein and cell-biology related subjects. You can see a list of the courses taught by the members of the Biomolecular Regulation Group in the list of courses taught by the Section for Biomolecular Sciences.

Join the Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang Centre

We are always happy to receive applications from potential postdocs, PhD, Masters, and Bachelor students, and we welcome applications from both Denmark and abroad. If you are interested in joining the lab or just want to know more about our work, find the relevant scientific staff member and contact us by phone or email – or stop by one of the labs in the Biocenter (see map here).

See currently open positions here.

Postdoc positions

Open positions are advertised broadly in the relevant media.

In addition, chances of obtaining postdoc grants are quite good when applying with Danish and/or international foundations. If you are interested in applying contact the scientific staff member that you would like to work.

PhD projects

The University of Copenhagen offers studentships for students holding a Danish or foreign Masters degree. In addition, possibilities exist to apply for funding from private foundations. Phd students are accepted into the PhD school at the Faculty of Science and become part of the PhD program in Protein Science.

Masters and Bachelor students projects

We always offer both Masters and Bachelor projects within our different areas of research. For more information and a list of current projects see here.

For all types of positions, please contact the staff to discuss specific projects.

Organisation

The activities in the Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science is coordinated by the KULLC steering committee consisting of the following members: