My research is focused on cell membranes and its interactions with the cellular environment. Specifically, I am interested in elucidating the role of carbohydrate structures presented at the cell membrane and the extracellular matrix determining the fate of biological events such as tumorgenesis. For the study of such processes that occur at the cell interface a variety of model system of different complexity level ranging from cell cultures and simpler model systems like lipid membranes - for example lipid vesicles (liposomes) and solid supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) - in combination with surface sensitive techniques are used.