Robert Konrat

Chemistry, Graz University; PhD in Chemistry, 1989, Graz University; postdoc University of Lausanne, University of Toronto

Robert Konrat is a Professor of Structural Biology in the Department of Structural and Computational Biology at University of Vienna. The Konrat research group uses computational and biophysical methods to study fundamental aspects of macromolecular structure, dynamics and interactions. Specifically, they develop and use computational and NMR spectroscopic techniques to characterize conformational ensembles of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and their role in protein complex formation. Moreover, they develop NMR techniques to probe how proteins recognize their binding partners, with a special focus on the fundamental principles behind the formation of protein ligand complexes. In particular, they explore computational and NMR techniques to support fragment-based drug design programs, both in academia as well as in cooperation with biotech and big pharma. Robert Konrat has supervised a total of 18 PhD students (14 graduated, 4 in progress). Among other recognition, he was awarded the Novartis Prize for Chemistry and was elected corresponding member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.