Prof. Dr. Charlotte Uetrecht

Photo of Charlotte Uetrecht

Function

directorate
chair of chemistry (W3)
research group leader

At UzL since

2024

Other affiliations

CSSB Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY & Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV) & University of Lübeck, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.

ORCID ID

0000-0002-1991-7922

Researcher ID

D-1883-2010

CSSB Centre for Structural Systems Biology
c/o Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
Notkestraße 85, Building 15
22607 Hamburg
Gebäude CSSB, Raum O2.125


Ratzeburger Allee 160
23562 Lübeck
Gebäude 61, Raum 314

Email: charlotte.uetrecht(at)uni-luebeck.de
Phone: +49 451 3101 3301

Research and work

Research focus

  • dynamics and assembly of norovirus capsids
  • structure and function of coronaviral replication–transcription complexes (RTCs)
  • mass spectrometry–based structural biology and single-molecule approaches
  • investigation of transient viral states and their relevance for infection and drug development

Methods & approaches

  • native mass spectrometry and top-down MS
  • HDX-MS for local structural and dynamic analysis
  • structural mass spectrometry combined with X-rays
  • single-particle methods (CDMS, AFM, cryo-EM)
  • protein expression (bacterial/eukaryotic) and biochemical reconstitution of viral complexes
  • use of large-scale light sources: PETRA III, FLASH, European XFEL

Expertise

  • analysis of viral protein complexes across multiple dynamic states
  • integration of MS data with structural models in solution and gas phase
  • investigation of post-translational modifications (PTMs) and their functional roles
  • characterization of viral assembly pathways
  • interdisciplinary research at the interface of virology, biophysics, and instrument development

CV

since 2024 professor (W3) of Chemistry University of Lübeck, Institute of Chemistry and Metabolomics, Germany
  research group leader University of Lübeck, Institute of Chemistry and Metabolomics, LIV, DESY and CSSB Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
2021-2024 professor (W2) of Biochemistry University of Siegen, Germany
  research group leader University of Siegen, LIV, DESY and CSSB Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
2020-2021 associate member CSSB Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
2014-2021 junior group leader Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany
2013–2014 postdoc Sample Environment, European XFEL GmbH, Schenefeld, Germany
2011-2013 postdoc (EMBO long-term fellowship) Molecular Biophysics, Uppsala University, Sweden
2006–2010 doctorate ('Analysing macromolecular structures with native mass spectrometry: Insights to virus structure and assembly') Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
2001-2006 degree program Biochemistry Potsdam, Germany

Academic Distinctions

2022 Mattauch-Herzog Award of the DGMS
2017 ERC Starting Grant 'SPOCkS MS' (Sampling Protein complex Conformational Space with native top down Mass Spectrometry)
2014 Leibniz Competition Grant 'Promoting women in academic leadership positions' of the Leibniz Association
2011 H.G.K. Westenbrink Prize of the Netherlands Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NVBMB) for the best thesis of the year 2010
2010 Ph.D. with Cum Laude (highest degree in the Netherlands awarded to < 5% of doctorates)
2010 EMBO Long-term Fellowship ALTF 1531-2010

Activities in the Research System

since 2024 director (jointly with U. Günther) of the Institute of Chemistry and Metabolomics, University of Lübeck, Germany
2024-2025 deputy scientific director, CSSB Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
2024 chair of the 'Isolated Biomolecules and Biomolecular Interactions 2024', Germany
2023-2027 coordinator of the 'The next generation SPIDoc’s Doctoral Network' funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN), grant agreement no. 101120312
2023-2024 member of council of research ethics, University of Siegen, Germany
2023 chair of the 'GRC Physical Virology 2023', Italy
2022-2027 member of steering committee, DFG research training group (RTG) 2771 'Humans and Microbes: Reorganisation of Cell Compartments and Molecular Complexes during Infection'
2022-2024 member of 'Analytical Chemistry' early career board, American Chemical Society
2021-2023 selected international member of Virology Division, Microbiology Society, United Kingdom
since 2020 member of internal advisory board of the cryoEM multiuser facility at CSSB Centre of Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
2019-2023 member of the board of directors, Leibniz ScienceCampus 'InterACt – Integrative Analysis of Pathogen-Induced Compartments', Hamburg, Germany
2019-2021 deputy chair of scientific council of the Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany
2018-2023 coordinator of the EU project 'MS SPIDOC', funded by Horizon 2020 (grant no. 801406)
since 2017 jury member for the 'Wolfgang-Paul Study Award' of the German Mass Spectrometry Society (DGMS)
since 2015 external expert for the European Commission in various funding schemes and for additional European funding agencies
2015 Organizer of the 'CSSB Mini Symposium: Native Mass Spectrometry', Hamburg, Germany

Supervision & mentoring of early career researchers

supervision of early career researchers (since 2014)

  • 15 postdocs
  • 20 doctoral students, 11 of whom have successfully defended
  • 11 Master’s students
  • several Bachelor’s students (at LIV, University of Siegen, and University of Lübeck)
  • one former doctoral student and two postdoctoral researchers are currently transitioning toward independent PI positions

Additional Mentoring Activities (since 2014)

  • active mentor in numerous thesis advisory committees
  • participation in formal mentoring programs beyond the own research group