Dr. Kerstin Blank

Professional Positions & Education

since 07/2014
Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam
Max Planck Research Group Leader

01/2013-06/2014
Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Department of Molecular Materials (Prof. Dr. Alan E. Rowan)
Assistant professor (tenured)

12/2012-03/2013
Oregon State University (Corvallis), Department of Physics, Nanoelectronics group (Prof. Dr. Ethan D. Minot)
Visiting professor

01/2009-12/2012
Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Department of Molecular Materials (Prof. Dr. Alan E. Rowan)
Assistant professor (tenure track)

12/2007-12/2008
University of Leuven, Department of Chemistry, Molecular and Nanomaterials (Prof. Dr. Johan Hofkens)
Postdoctoral research associate

01/2007-11/2007
University of Strasbourg, Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires, Laboratory for Biological Chemistry (Prof. Dr. Andrew D. Griffiths)
Postdoctoral research associate

11/2003-12/2003
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Department of Physics, Applied Physics & Center for NanoScience (Prof. Dr. Hermann E. Gaub)
Postdoctoral research associate

10/2003-10/2006
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Department of Physics, Applied Physics & Center for NanoScience (Prof. Dr. Hermann E. Gaub)
PhD thesis
title: Molecular force sensors – design, characterization and applications

03/2001-09/2003
nanotype GmbH
Group leader and project manager “protein biochips”

09/1999-01/2001
University of Zurich, Institute for Biochemistry (Prof. Dr. Andreas Plückthun)
Diploma thesis
title: Protein engineering of antibody scFv-fragments as ligands for affinity chromatography

09/1996-12/2000
University of Applied Sciences Jena, Department of Medical Engineering & Biotechnology
Degree in Biotechnology (Dipl.-Ing. FH)

09/1993-07/1996
University of Würzburg, Department of Botany and Institute for Hygiene & Microbiology
Training as laboratory assistant

Awards & Fellowships

2009-2013
VIDI grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
“Single molecule enzymology“

2008
Long-term fellowship from the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO)
“Analysis of the evolution of enzyme conformations during directed in vitro evolution”

2007
Long-term fellowship from the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS)
“Use of microfluidics to evolve new enzymes: creation of biocatalysts optimised for biofuel cells and biosensors”

1999
Fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Research Interests

Single molecule techniques
Protein engineering
Mechanochemistry
Mechanobiology