Research • Educate • Connect
Towards a sustainable bioeconomy

Research • Educate • Connect
Towards a sustainable bioeconomy

Prof. Lothar Elling | RWTH Aachen | Biomaterials

Research topics and profile (related to bioeconomy)

The aim of our research is the development and application of enzyme-module-systems for the synthesis of (neo)glycoconjugates and their utilization for the biofunctionalization of biomaterial surfaces – Glyco-BioInterface Engineering. Furthermore, we have competence in enzyme production (up to 20 L fermentation), carbohydrate analysis (capillary electrophoresis, HPLC, HPLC/MS) and product isolation (semi-preparative HPLC).

Research topics are:

  • Enzyme tool box for carbohydrate synthesis: glycosyltransferases, enzymes for nucleotide sugars, glycosidases/glycosynthases, sulfotransferases
  • Biocatalytic cascade reactions: enzyme-module-systems (multi-enzyme-systems) for the synthesis of nucleotide sugars from sucrose and enzyme-module-systems for the synthesis of glycoconjugates
  • Chemo-enzymatic cascade and tandem reactions: synthesis of modified nucleotide sugars and neo-glycoconjugates
  • Enzymatic synthesis of biopolymers (e.g. hyaluronic acid)
  • Synthesis of novel building blocks for the synthesis of glycopolymers for potential applications in diagnostics and therapy
  • Biofunctionalisation of biomaterial surfaces with glycoconjugates – Glyco-BioInterface Engineering for applications in tissue engineering
  • Characterisation of human galectins for applications in biomaterial sciences, e.g. tissue engineering, targeting, molecular imaging
  • Characterisation of neo-glycoconjugates as ligands/inhibitors of human galectins and bacterial toxins for biomedical applications

Contributions to BioSC

In the framework of BioSC we will contribute to the development of novel biocatalytic synthetic processes with isolated enzymes (biocatalytic cascade reactions) for the synthesis of sugar-based fine chemicals and materials from renewable resources such as sucrose, glucose (from cellulose, starch) and N-acetylglucosamine (from chitin). In BioSC we intend to advance, within the research area Microbial and Molecular Transformation and in cooperation with members of the core group, the following research topics:

  • Expansion the Biocatalysts-Tool-Box for the synthesis of glycoconjugates and building blocks for the synthesis of glycopolymers form renewable resources (in cooperation with U. Schwaneberg und L. Blank)
  • Compilation of a library of glyco-functionalized monomeric building blocks for the synthesis of glycopolymers (in cooperation with A. Pich, U. Schwaneberg and J. Pietruszka)
  • Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of novel glyco-functionalized polymers for application in biomedicine (in cooperation with A. Pich and U. Schwaneberg)

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