Crystallography has been my passion since I spent a week in a biochemistry company just after finishing high school. After a degree in biochemistry in Leipzig, where I learnt many different aspects of the discipline, I feel that coming to the ESRF is closing the circle and I am in the exact place I want to be.
It is hard to say what I love the most in my job today. When I started, I would have said protein purification and the preparation of crystals, because I had already learnt that during my studies in biochemistry and structural biology. Today, though, having mastered this part, I would say that data collection and analysis are a new stimulating challenge of my project.
The excitement I feel when acquiring great data after several unsuccessful attempts represents a great boost. At the ESRF, we are all carrying out very challenging and unique research, so finding the solution to the obstacles we encounter along the way is extremely rewarding. The help of my colleagues and supervisors has been crucial in this process.
In my research, I focus on investigating specific domains in a protein that plays a big role in Covid-19. I work with the ESRF, the German company Nuvisan ICB GmbH, and the ILL. I find the subject very interesting as it involves working in finding solutions to the current pandemic. On top of that, viruses will always stay relevant, which makes research in this domain vital.