Wieland Mayer: his PhD work was about understanding the mechanisms by which cells achieve an asymmetric distribution of biomolecules, focusing on the ASH1 mRNA in yeast. His work elucidates the structure and function of key proteins, such as She2p and Loc1p, in the localization process and the complex interactions involved.
Thomas Gaber: the PhD thesis of Thomas aimed at an understanding of the molecular machinery that transports the oskar mRNA in the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. He could reconstitute part of the transport complex and quantify their interactions. From this, he could deduce mechanistic insights into the transport process.
Sandra Burczyk: this work constitutes of the first, unbiased assessment of a protein called PURB (or in lab slang: poor bee). Mutations in its paralog PURA has been shown to be the cause of a neurodevelopmental disorder. The goal of Sandra's work was to understand if PURB shows similar functional properties or if this protein fulfills a very different function. Her work sets the stage for a fundamental understanding of this protein.
Congratulations to all three of you!