Projects
Cell-free expression of multifunctional plant virus nanoparticles
Functionalized plant virus nanoparticles have gained growing interest and impact in diverse biomedical applications, because they are biocompatible and biodegradable and can be easily functionalized by modifying their repetitive coat protein (CP) structures.
Synthetic plant virology
The working group „Synthetic plant virology“ deals with modified plant viruses, which allow to produce desired proteins quickly and in large quantities. The virus moves independently through the plant, replicating and producing both its own proteins and foreign proteins.
DFG project PlantVirusBone
In collaboration with Professor Dr.-Ing. Horst Fischer, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Department of Dental Materials and Biomaterials Research Aachen
Biomineralizing three-dimensional bioprinted hydrogels for bone tissue replacement using dedicated osteogenic peptides in high local concentrations presented on biotechnologically modified plant virus nanoparticles (PlantVirusBone)
Plant biotechnology
Recombinant therapeutic proteins and protein-based vaccines are playing an important role in modern medicine and healthcare. Plants and plant cell cultures are beginning to establish themselves in the highly competitive field of biotechnological production systems for recombinant proteins.
Light controllable systems on plant virus surfaces
Light controllable proteins offer the possibility to specifically control the building of protein pairs and thereby influence sundry cellular and molecular processes. These light controllable systems gain increasing interest in the field of biomedicine and biomaterial production. Light represents the effective stimulus for the binding of the protein pairs as it can be applied with a high degree of spatial and temporal control and low costs. Furthermore, the light excitation can target a precise location in the body and the light spectrum is wide.