Award for Dr. Leonhard Möckl

Leonhard Möckl

On the 24th of June, 2016 the 544th Foundation Party of the LMU took place on which the university reminds of her foundation by Duke Ludwig IX. the rich of Bavaria-Landshut in 1472. An important aim of this party is to give insight into the wide spectrum of research to the guests of the university, with special focus on the promotion of young people. In this context, some outstanding promotions and habilitations are awarded with the promotional prize of the Munich University Society every year.

Dr. Leonhard Möckl from the group of Prof. Bräuchle received such a price. His thesis was distinguished to the subject "The Sweet Side of the membrane – Sugars in Biophysics, Bacterial Adhesion, and siRNA Delivery". In his excellent dissertation, Leonhard Möckl explored important functions of the glycocalyx, a very complex layer of different sugar molecules on the cell surface. He was able to prove that the cell can control the dynamics of membrane proteins by modifying the sugar. From this finding, new therapeutic possibilities arise in cancer therapy that could reduce metastasis or even prevent it completely.