Dr Ralf Richter

Profile

• Associate Professor at University of Leeds since 2016.
• Chair of Excellence, later Visiting Scientist, at University Grenoble Alpes (France; 2012-2023).
• Research Group Leader at CIC biomaGUNE (San Sebastian, Spain; 2007-18).
• Postdoctoral work at University of Heidelberg (Germany, 2005-07).
• PhD in Physical Chemistry, University Bordeaux I (France, 2004).
• MSc in Physics, Chalmers/Göteborg University (Sweden, 1998).

Responsibilities

• Executive Committee Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology

Research interests

We develop physics and chemistry tools to address bioscience questions that are intractable with conventional methods. We focus on ‘biological interfaces’ such as cell membranes and extracellular matrices: how they regulate inter- and intra-cellular communication and how this can be exploited to direct cell fate decisions, and for diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

We are particularly interested in cell surface coats and extracellular matrices that are rich in glycans. These fuzzy hydrogel-like assemblies are important regulators of cell function and inter-cellular communication, and when dysreglated can increase infections or cause abberrant inflammation, tissue development and repair, and cancer.  Another main object of our research is the nuclear pore permeability barrier, a nanoscopic meshwork of intrinsically disordered proteins that makes macromolecular transport between the cytosol and nucleus of cells selective and is crucial for orderly gene expression. Resolving how these systems work provides new approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat disease, and inspiration for the design of new functional materials.

To understand how biological functions emerge from the assembly and dynamic reorganisation of biomacromolecules, we combine living cells and tissues with well-controlled models of tunable complexity. Exploiting surface science and engineering tools, we tailor-make model systems by the directed self-assembly of purified components. For the quantitative analysis of these biomimetic systems, we develop a toolbox of physico-chemical in situ analysis techniques including quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D), atomic force microscopy (AFM), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and advanced optical microscopy methods. We use concepts from biological and soft matter physics to rationalise the properties of soft biological matter, and collaborate closely with biochemists and biologists to integrate our bottom-up biosynthetic approach with work at the levels of molecules, cells and living organisms.

For our research at the cross-roads of biology, physics, chemistry and engineering, we are located in the Molecular & Nanoscale Physics/Bionano laboratories. We are affiliated with the School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Physics and Astronomy. We are also part of the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology and the Bragg Centre for Materials Research. The Richter Lab website provides more detail on our work.

• Action in solution: Embedding new technology and new capability in Biomolecular Interactions in the University of Leeds
• Defining the role of cell glycocacalyces in cell trafficking at endothelial walls
• Molecular mechanisms underpinning nuclear pore permselectivity - A polymer physics approach
• Revealing complexity of polysaccharide-protein interactions
• Superselective targeting of cells through multivalent lectin-glycan interactions
• Understanding hyaluronan crosslinking mechanisms in ovulation and inflammation: CryoEM structural and interaction analysis of HC-HA/PTX3 complexes

Student education

Modules I teach (Biomedical Sciences and Physics)

• BMSC3146 – Advanced Topics in Biomedical Sciences
• PHAS5510M – Physics of Biological Systems
• PHYS3523 – Bionanophysics

Lab student projects

Current postgraduate researchers

• Ashleigh Goodenough

Projects

<li><a href="//phd.leeds.ac.uk/project/1114-mapping-the-nanoscale-organisation-of-cellular-proteins-across-complex-topographies">Mapping the nanoscale organisation of cellular proteins across complex topographies</a></li>