
The Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens
The Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens (MPUSP) is an independent institute of the Max Planck Society. MPUSP was founded in 2018 by Emmanuelle Charpentier to strengthen fundamental research on pathogens (bacteria and viruses) causing diseases in humans. The institute is located on the Campus Charité Mitte in Berlin.
Decoding the Architecture of the Bacterial Flagellum: Researchers uncover the mechanism of bacterial flagellum assembly
JULY 9, 2025Max Planck Fellow Marc Erhardt at the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens and his group at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have now resolved, in collaboration with international colleagues at King’s College London, the complete native structure of the bacterial flagellum, including previously unknown key intermediates of its self-assembly. The findings have been published in the journal Nature Microbiology. Image: © Prof. Marc Erhardt.
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Bioengineering platform for sustainable mycelium material production
MARCH 13, 2025Gita Naseri, together with Hannes Hinneburg at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP (Potsdam-Golm), has been awarded a four-year, €1.3 million grant by the VolkswagenStiftung for the MyPro project.

Congratulations to MPUSP Fellow Marc Erhardt, Philipp Popp, and team at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin for their new publication in Nature.
DECEMBER 11, 2024„Structure and mechanism of the Zorya anti-phage defense system“, shedding light on a unique mechanism by which bacteria fend off viral attacks without sacrificing their own survival.
3D Model © Frederick J.O. Martin (University of Copenhagen). Click to Read More.

Congratulations to MPUSP affiliate Gita Naseri who is starting her Emmy Noether research group at the Institute for Biology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin!
AUGUST 1, 2024Click here to read more about Dr. Naseri and her lab
(Image: Gita Naseri --nature.com/articles/s41467-023-37627-1)