Within this field of research three main interconnected projects are ongoing: (i) Preparation of novel unnatural amino acids, (ii) Optimization of mimetics of natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and (iii) Synthesis of stable of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs).

Novel solid-phase synthesis methods for obtaining α-amino acid building blocks displaying polycationic or fluorescent side chains are developed. In addition dimeric α-amino acid/β-peptoid building blocks are prepared by large-scale solution-phase methods.

Such unnnatural building blocks are utilized in the design and microwave-assisted synthesis of peptide analogues with enhanced biological activities e.g. as antibiotics that kill multiresistant bacteria or as drug delivery vehicles with improved performance.

Participating group members
Henrik Franzyk
Kolja M. Knapp
Rasmus Jahnsen
Jacob D. Clausen

Major Research projects
Novel Antibiotic Peptidomimetics
Danish Centre for Antibiotic Research and Development (DanCARD)

Collaborators