Ulrich Hohmann

Gene expression is fundamental to life, converting the information in DNA into proteins. Throughout evolution, cells have developed a rich variety of mechanisms to fine-tune and adapt gene expression to different environments and stresses. Currently, we are particularly interested in mRNA nuclear export and quality control, an essential yet often overlooked step of eukaryotic gene expression. 

We combine biochemistry, structural biology and in vivo model systems (cell culture, fruit fly and zebrafish) to discover new mechanisms in gene expression biology and to unveil their inner workings in mechanistic detail. In various diseases, as well as during ageing, the accuracy of post-transcriptional gene expression processes in the nucleus declines. As a result, RNA molecules are often incorrectly processed—for example through errors in RNA splicing—leading to the production of abnormal protein variants that can impair cellular function. These defects are further compounded by a decline in nuclear RNA quality control systems, which normally identify and remove faulty RNA molecules. We aim to use our mechanistic insights into nuclear mRNA export and RNA quality control to better understand how these errors arise and to develop strategies to prevent or mitigate their impact in ageing and disease.

Research website

Positions held

• Since 2026: Group Leader, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz
• 2019 - 2025: Postdoctoral researcher, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology and Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna
• 2018 - 2019: Postdoctoral researcher, University of Geneva

Education

• 2018: PhD in Molecular and Structural Biology, University of Geneva
• 2012: MSc in Biology, Technical University of Munich

Selected publications by Ulrich Hohmann

Bugai A*, Hohmann U*, Lorenzo A*, Graf M*, Fin L, Rouviere J, Tirian L, Dou L, Polak P, Johnsen D, Jakobsen L,  Andersen JS, Brennecke J^#, Plaschka C^# and Jensen TH^# (2025) Molecular basis of polyadenylated RNA fate determination in the nucleus. bioRxiv, doi: 10.1101/2025.09.16.676470 (*indicates joint contribution, ^#indicates joint correspondence) Link

Hohmann U^#, Graf M, Tirián L, Pacheco-Fiallos B, Schellhaas U, Fin L, Handler D, Phillips AW, Riabov-Bassat D, Faraway R, Pühringer T, Szalay MF, Roitinger E, Brennecke J^# and Plaschka C^# (2026) An ATP-gated molecular switch orchestrates human mRNA export. Nature, 649:1042-1050  (^#indicates joint correspondence) Link

Pühringer T*, Hohmann U*, Fin L, Pacheco-Fiallos B, Schellhaas U, Brennecke J and Plaschka C (2020) Structure of the human core transcription-export complex reveals a hub for multivalent interactions. eLife, 9:e61503 *indicates joint contribution Link