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Prof. Dr. Leonhard Möckl

  • Professorship for Nano-optical Imaging
  • Associated Group Leader
  • Room A.3.428
  • Phone +49 9131 7133115
  • Email
  • Head of research group Physical Glycosciences

Leonhard Möckl studied Chemistry and Biochemistry at LMU Munich. He obtained his PhD in 2015 with a thesis on the role of the glycocalyx in membrane protein organization. In 2016, he joined the lab of W.E. Moerner at Stanford University, where he used single-molecule techniques to investigate the glycocalyx and furthermore developed deep-learning based approaches for single-molecule studies. In 2020, he joined the MPL as an independent group leader. Since 2024, he holds the professorship for Nano-optical Imaging at FAU, located at the newly established CITABLE.

In his free time, he loves to read, to play the piano, to hike, and to play volleyball.

2012

Der Wittelsbacher und der Hope‐Diamant: Optische Untersuchungen klären ein Rätsel

Jürgen Evers, Leonhard Möckl, Heinrich Nöth

Chemie in unserer Zeit 46 (6) 356-364 (2012) | Journal

Diamanten entstehen aus Kohlenstoff bei hohen Drücken und hohen Temperaturen im Erdinneren. Dotierung mit geringen Mengen Bor erzeugt ihre blaue Farbe. Zwei der berühmtesten blauen historischen Diamanten, der Wittelsbacher und der Hope‐Diamant, stammen aus der indischen Kollur‐Mine. Letzteren brachte der französische Diamantenhändler Tavernier im 17. Jahrhundert nach Europa. Heute ist er im Smithsonian Institute in Washington ausgestellt. Der Wittelsbacher Diamant befand sich lange Zeit im Besitz des Hauses Wittelsbach, bis er 1951 heimlich in Antwerpen verkauft wurde. 2008 ersteigerte ihn der Juwelier Graff und ließ ihn umschleifen. 2011 wurde er an einen unbekannten Besitzer weiterverkauft. Aufgrund der gemeinsamen Herkunft und Farbe der Diamanten wurde lange Zeit vermutet, die beiden Edelsteine könnten Bruchstücke eines gemeinsamen größeren Kristalles sein. Durch optische Untersuchungen konnte nun eindeutig geklärt werden, dass beide Diamanten zwar ähnliche optische Eigenschaften besitzen, in bestimmten Merkmalen jedoch so stark voneinander abweichen, dass sie nicht einem gemeinsamen größeren Kristall entstammen können.

Optical Investigations to clear up a Mystery The Wittelsbach and the Hope Diamond

Juergen Evers, Leonhard Möckl, Heinrich Noeth

Chemie in unserer Zeit 46 (6) 356-364 (2012) | Journal

Diamonds are formed from carbon at high pressures and high temperatures in the inner part of the earth. Doping with very small amounts of boron leads to diamonds with blue colour. Two of the most famous historical blue diamonds, the Wittelsbach and Hope Diamond, were found in the Indian Kollur mine. The latter was brought to Europe by the French gem merchant Tavernier. Today it is displayed in the Smithsonian Institute. The Wittelsbach Diamond was for a long time in the possession of the House Wittelsbach until it was secretly sold in Antwerp in 1951. In 2008, it was purchased by auction by the jeweller Graff who recut the gem. In 2011, it was sold to an unknown buyer. As the Wittelsbach and the Hope diamond share origin and colour, it was assumed for a long time that both are pieces from a larger crystal. By optical investigation it was now shown that they have indeed some similar optical properties, but differ strikingly in other ones. Hence, they cannot originate from the same crystal.

Tuning Nanoparticle Uptake: Live-Cell Imaging Reveals Two Distinct Endocytosis Mechanisms Mediated by Natural and Artificial EGFR Targeting Ligand

Frauke M. Mickler, Leonhard Möckl, Nadia Ruthardt, Manfred Ogris, Ernst Wagner, Christoph Braeuchle

Nano Letters 12 (7) 3417-3423 (2012) | Journal

Therapeutic nanoparticles can be directed to cancer cells by incorporating selective targeting ligands. Here, we investigate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)mediated endocytosis of gene carriers (polyplexes) either targeted with natural EGF or GE11, a short synthetic EGFR-binding peptide. Highly sensitive live-cell fluorescence microcopy with single particle resolution unraveled the existence of two different uptake mechanisms; EGF triggers accelerated nanoparticle endocytosis due to its dual active role in receptor binding and signaling activation, For GE11, an alternative EGFR signaling independent, actin-driven pathway is presented.

Here you can download Leonhard's CV.

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