Our research aims to develop methods to generate tailor-made oligo- and polymers with defined charged sequences. We want to combine techniques from polymer chemistry, simple and efficient organochemical reactions, and inspirations from peptide chemistry to synthesize products that can serve as peptide mimetics and/or interact with relevant biomolecules in vivo.

At the moment, we focus on:

• Monodisperse, amine-based polycations that display both hydrophobic and charged segments. These structures can mimic host defense peptides (HDPs), molecules with antibiotic properties produced by the human body (and other organisms)
• Defined, surfactant-like oligo- and polymers that interact with cell membranes as antimicrobial compounds
• Polycations that interact with the anticoagulation agent heparin to regulate blood clotting in clinical settings

If you want to know more, contact johanna.elter@fu-berlin.de!