Research
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is a technique that provides detailed molecular level information on paramagnetic centres. In our research we utilize EPR spectroscopy to investigate the role and structure of bioorganic radicals that play key role in some of the fundamental biological processes.
Bioorganic radicals, such as metallocofactors and amino acid-based radicals, are essential in life because they are involved in photosynthesis, respiration, synthesis of DNA building blocks, biological nitrogen fixation and many more. They serve as redox-active intermediates in electron transfer reactions or reactive cofactors at the active site of enzymes. Therefore, the study of bioorganic radicals is crucial to understand enzymatic reaction mechanisms and to design analogous synthetic systems.
Proton-coupled electron transfer in proteins
Enzyme-mediated proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes are fundamental and ubiquitous in biology. They are central to our understanding of reactions in primary metabolism including photosynthesis, respiration and synthesis of DNA building blocks. These reactions share a common catalytic feature, a tyrosyl or modified tyrosyl radical (Y•) that is involved in either concerted or stepwise PCET steps. E. coli class Ia ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) serves as a paradigm for diverse PCET mechanisms in enzymes. It catalyzes the reduction of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides via an unprecedented radical transfer process over 35 Å using at least four Y•s (Y122 and [W48] and Y356 in β2 to Y731 and Y730 and C439 in α2).
We used multi-frequency (9, 34, 94 and 263 GHz) EPR, ENDOR, PELDOR and rapid-freeze-quench (RFQ)-EPR spectroscopies in combination with incorporation of unnatural amino acids to investigate the PCET mechanism at the subunit interface of this protein during catalysis.

Metalloproteins
A recent example of our research on metalloproteins is the recently discovered small lipoxygenase (LOX) from cyanobacteria. Lipoxygenases are metal-containing (Fe or Mn) enzymes that catalyse the regio- and stereospecific insertion of dioxygen into polyunsaturated fatty acids. We have characterized the metal site of LOX from cyanobacteria as Fe via Fe/Mn substitution and EPR spectroscopy.

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Location & approach
The campus of TU Dortmund University is located close to interstate junction Dortmund West, where the Sauerlandlinie A 45 (Frankfurt-Dortmund) crosses the Ruhrschnellweg B 1 / A 40. The best interstate exit to take from A 45 is "Dortmund-Eichlinghofen" (closer to Campus Süd), and from B 1 / A 40 "Dortmund-Dorstfeld" (closer to Campus Nord). Signs for the university are located at both exits. Also, there is a new exit before you pass over the B 1-bridge leading into Dortmund.
To get from Campus Nord to Campus Süd by car, there is the connection via Vogelpothsweg/Baroper Straße. We recommend you leave your car on one of the parking lots at Campus Nord and use the H-Bahn (suspended monorail system), which conveniently connects the two campuses.
TU Dortmund University has its own train station ("Dortmund Universität"). From there, suburban trains (S-Bahn) leave for Dortmund main station ("Dortmund Hauptbahnhof") and Düsseldorf main station via the "Düsseldorf Airport Train Station" (take S-Bahn number 1, which leaves every 20 or 30 minutes). The university is easily reached from Bochum, Essen, Mülheim an der Ruhr and Duisburg.
You can also take the bus or subway train from Dortmund city to the university: From Dortmund main station, you can take any train bound for the Station "Stadtgarten", usually lines U41, U45, U 47 and U49. At "Stadtgarten" you switch trains and get on line U42 towards "Hombruch". Look out for the Station "An der Palmweide". From the bus stop just across the road, busses bound for TU Dortmund University leave every ten minutes (445, 447 and 462). Another option is to take the subway routes U41, U45, U47 and U49 from Dortmund main station to the stop "Dortmund Kampstraße". From there, take U43 or U44 to the stop "Dortmund Wittener Straße". Switch to bus line 447 and get off at "Dortmund Universität S".
The H-Bahn is one of the hallmarks of TU Dortmund University. There are two stations on Campus Nord. One ("Dortmund Universität S") is directly located at the suburban train stop, which connects the university directly with the city of Dortmund and the rest of the Ruhr Area. Also from this station, there are connections to the "Technologiepark" and (via Campus Süd) Eichlinghofen. The other station is located at the dining hall at Campus Nord and offers a direct connection to Campus Süd every five minutes.
The AirportExpress is a fast and convenient means of transport from Dortmund Airport (DTM) to Dortmund Central Station, taking you there in little more than 20 minutes. From Dortmund Central Station, you can continue to the university campus by interurban railway (S-Bahn). A larger range of international flight connections is offered at Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), which is about 60 kilometres away and can be directly reached by S-Bahn from the university station.
The facilities of TU Dortmund University are spread over two campuses, the larger Campus North and the smaller Campus South. Additionally, some areas of the university are located in the adjacent "Technologiepark".
Site Map of TU Dortmund University (Second Page in English).