MAX4Life Talk: Watching enzymes at work: tools for time-resolved serial synchrotron crystallography
MAX III
MAX IV
Warm welcome to Dr. Eike C. Schulz as our first speaker in the MAX4Life Talk Series for Spring 2026!
The MAX4Life series highlights innovative and impactful Life Science research through roughly one-hour talks, followed by Q&A and informal mingling with the MAX IV community.
Talk Title: Watching enzymes at work: tools for time-resolved serial synchrotron crystallography
Speaker: Eike C. Schulz,
ERC Investigator, BMBF Group Leader, UKE Hamburg
Time & Date: 13:30 to 14:30, Friday, March 20
Location: meeting room MAX III, MAX IV Laboratory
Registration: Registration is for individuals who are not affiliated with MAX IV and would like to attend the talk in person at the MAX IV facility. It is free of charge
Deadline for registration: 11:30 am Thursday, March 19
Please use the Zoom Link if attending remotely.
Abstract:
Eike’s talk will present how modern time resolved serial synchrotron crystallography (TR SSX) allows researchers to watch enzymes in action by capturing their structural dynamics during catalysis. Using innovative methods such as the hit and return (HARE) and liquid application (LAMA) techniques, reactions can be triggered inside protein crystals and followed across biologically relevant timescales. These approaches have revealed unprecedented insight into enzyme behavior, including “molecular breathing,” half the sites reactivity, and intermediate ligand binding states, phenomena invisible to traditional static structural methods. Recent developments, including the spitrobot and temperature controlled multi dimensional crystallography, now make these once complex experiments simpler and accessible to a wider scientific community.
Because antibiotic resistance is tightly linked to enzyme motion, TR SSX provides critical information for identifying new allosteric sites and designing more robust inhibitors. Together, these tools are reshaping our understanding of enzyme mechanisms and opening new directions for combating antimicrobial resistance
More information here: Schulz Group
About the Speaker:
Dr. Eike Schulz’s research focuses on the molecular structure and dynamics of enzymes involved in infection processes. His work spans two major research initiatives:
- ANTIBIOTIMEX – investigating the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic‑resistance enzymes.
- DynaPLIX – exploring the dynamic process of ligand binding to proteins through an integrated structural, kinetic, and thermodynamic approach.
His research provides key insights into enzyme function and resistance mechanisms, supporting the development of future therapeutic strategies.