Dr. Ralf Langen

Biography

Ralf Langen is a Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. He holds the positions of Director of the Protein Structure Center and Director of the Ph.D. Program in Medical Physiology, in addition to being Co-Director of the Ph.D. Program in Medical Biophysics. His primary research interests focus on protein folding and misfolding, particularly the processes that occur in cellular membranes and the interactions between membrane proteins and lipids. Langen’s work explores how proteins regulate the structure and function of biological membranes, which is crucial for controlling various cellular processes, including membrane fluidity, permeability, and curvature. His research findings significantly contribute to understanding disease mechanisms related to protein misfolding, as well as the physiological implications of protein interaction with membranes. Langen has published extensively on the structural and functional dynamics of proteins associated with diseases such as Huntington’s disease, emphasizing the importance of membrane interactions in these pathological processes.

Research Interests