I am passionate about membrane protein structural biology, and specialize in a palette of techniques ranging from molecular dynamics simulations to protein crystallization and single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM).

My interest in membrane proteins began during my undergraduate and master studies in the lab of Birgit Schiøtt at Aarhus University (DK) where I studied binding of different alkaloids to the serotonin transporter using molecular modelling. From the computer, I ventured across campus, and into the wet lab to learn membrane protein biochemistry and crystallography in Poul Nissen’s lab where I worked on elucidating the structure and function of select P-type ATPases. After earning my Ph.D. early 2015, I continued to characterize P-type ATPases and their lipid dependency for another year as a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Pontus Gourdon, Copenhagen University.

In the beginning of 2016, I moved to San Francisco to work with Yifan Cheng at University of California, San Francisco to learn single-particle cryo-EM to improve our understanding of TRPM ion channels. At UCSF, my interest in developing new strategies for preparing membrane proteins in native membranes for structural and functional characterization was also sparked.

The research in my lab is centered on advancing our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying taste signalling by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and complimentary biophysical and biochemical methods. As a major bottleneck in membrane protein biochemistry is sample preparation, I aim to extend our understanding beyond the ion channels and receptors, by developing membrane protein isolation approaches to facilitate native-like conditions for membrane proteins outside their home environment.

Read more about my lab here: www.autzenlab.com

• Membrane protein structure and function
• Single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM)
• Development of amphiphilic copolymers for native nanodiscs
• Taste signalling
• Lipid-protein interactions

Lecturer in the courses:

• Protein Science and Enzyme Technology
• Protein Chemistry and Enzymology I

EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, 2015-01-28 

Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

M.Sc. in Medicinal Chemistry, 2011-10-14 

Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark

B.Sc. in Medicinal Chemistry, 2009-08-28

Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Group leader in Research theme Molecular and Translational Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences (2023-).  

Group leader in the Section for Biomolecular Sciences, Department of Biology (2020-2023).  

Postdoctoral Fellow in the Cheng Lab, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), US (2016-2020)

Characterizing human cation channels with single-particle cryo-EM and developing copolymers for extracting membrane proteins in native nanodiscs. 

Postdoctoral Fellow in the Gourdon Lab, University of Copenhagen, Denmark (2015-2016)

Characterized a bacterial Cu(I) P-type ATPase with biochemistry to elucidate its lipid dependencies.

Ph.D. Fellow in the Nissen Lab, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark (2011-2014)

Characterized several P-type ATPases with biochemistry, crystallography and molecular modelling techniques.

EXTERNAL FUNDING

2021: Inge Lehmann Research Project I Grant, The Danish Council for Independent Research | Natural Sciences (DFF-NS)

2020: Novo Nordisk Foundation, Hallas-Møller Emerging Investigator Grant in Bioscience and Basic Biomedicine

2018: Postdoc Fellowship, The Lundbeck Foundation 

2015: Postdoc Fellowship, The Danish Council for Independent Research | Natural Sciences (DFF-NS)

2014: Postdoc Fellowship, The Carlsberg Foundation

My publication metrics can be found on Google Scholar:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=PTskZOEAAAAJ