Prof. Dr. Kaspar Locher

Prof. Dr.  Kaspar Locher

Prof. Dr. Kaspar Locher

Head of Inst. Molecular Biology and Biophysics

ETH Zürich

Inst. f. Molekularbiol.u.Biophysik

HPK G 11

Otto-Stern-Weg 5

8093 Zürich

Switzerland

Additional information

Research area

The research focus of Kaspar Locher and his group is the structural and mechanistic investigation of integral membrane proteins facilitating active transport processes or membrane-associated glycosyltransferase reactions. By combining high resolution structure determination with in vitro and cellular functional studies and biophysical investigations, mechanistic insight into target proteins is obtained. In 2006, the Locher group determined the first structure of a multidrug ABC transporter. In 2011, the group reported the first structure of an oligosaccharyltransferase, a membrane-integral enzyme with a key role in protein N‑glycosylation. In the past few years, The Locher group has used single particle cryo-EM to determine structures of the human multidrug and lipid ABC transporters (ABCB1, ABCB4, ABCG2) and of eukaryotic oligosaccharyltransferase complexes. 

Kaspar Locher studied Chemistry / Biochemistry at ETH Zurich (Switzerland). He obtained a PhD in Biochemistry in 1998 from the University of Basel (Switzerland) working with Jurg Rosenbusch. From 1999-2003, Locher pursued postdoctoral studies with Douglas Rees at Caltech, where he determined the first X-ray structure of an ABC transporter. In 2003, Locher was appointed Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich. In 2013, he was promoted to Full Professor of Molecular Membrane Biology. Locher has received the FEBS Letters Young Investigator Award and is an elected member of EMBO and of the German National Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina).

Course Catalogue

Spring Semester 2024

Number Unit
551-1324-00L Biochemistry
551-1556-00L Structure Determination by Cryo-EM: Data Processing and Analysis
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