Projects

Ergosterol biosynthesis project

Mechanisms of antifungal drug resistance; Identification of the mode of action of novel antifungals.

Key Publications:

Liebl M, Huber L, Elsaman H, Wagener J, Merschak P, Gsaller F, Müller C. Quantifying isoprenoids in the ergosterol biosynthesis by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Fungi, 2023; 9:768.
Sastré-Veláquez LE, Dallemulle A, Kühbacher A, Baldin C, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Niedrig A, Müller C, Gsaller F. The fungal expel of 5-fluorocytosine derived fluoropyrimidines mitigates its antifungal activity and generates a cytotoxic environment. PLoS Pathogens, 2022; 18: 1011066.
Müller C, Binder U, Bracher F, Giera M. Antifungal drug testing: Combining minimal inhibitory concentration testing with target identification by the use of gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Nature Protocols, 2017, 12:947-963.

Cholesterol biosynthesis project

Identification of novel cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitors; Analysis of sterols in body tissues/fluids; Druggability of 24-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR24).

Key Publications:

Zhou E, Ge X., Nakashima H, Li R, van der Zande HJ, Liu C, Li Z, Müller C, Bracher F, Mohammed Y, de Boer JF, Kuipers F, Guigas B, Glass CK, Rensen PC, Giera M, Wang Y. Inhibition of DHCR24 activates LXRα to ameliorate hepatic steatosis and inflammation. EMBO Molecular Medicine, 2023; e16845.
Junker J, Kamp F, Winkler E, Steiner H, Bracher F, Müller C. Effective sample preparation procedure for the analysis of free neutral steroids, free steroid acids and sterol sulfates in different tissues by GC-MS. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2021; 211:105880.
Müller C, Junker J, Bracher F, Giera M. A gas chromatography – mass spectrometry based whole cell screening assay for target identification in distal cholesterol biosynthesis. Nature Protocols, 2019; 14:2546-2570.

Environmental project

Method development for trace analysis of pesticides, pharmaceuticals and persistent organic pollutants from different matrices by GC-MS/MS; Analysis of environmental pollution and loss of biodiversity.

Key Publications:

Peter M, Bakanov N, Mathgen X, Brühl CA, Veith M, Müller C. Multiresidue analysis of bat guano using GC-MS/MS. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2024, in press
Schanzer S, Koch M, Kiefer A, Jentke T, Veith M, Bracher F, Bracher J, Müller C. Analysis of pesticide and persistent organic pollutant residues in German bats. Chemosphere, 2022; 305:135342.
Löbbert A, Schanzer S, Krehenwinkel H, Bracher F, Müller C. Determination of multi pesticide residues in leaf and needle samples using a modified QuEChERS approach and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Analytical Methods, 2021; 23:1138-1146.

Barn dust project

Preparation of stable barn dust extracts for the prevention and treatment of asthma and allergies.

Key Publications:

WO 2020/120724 (18.06.2020). von Mutius E, Bracher F, Müller C, Vercelli D: “Barn dust extract for the prevention and treatment of diseases”.
Dos Santos MM, Pivniouk V, Rankl B, Walker A, Pagani G, Hertkorn N, Schmitt-Kopplin P, Müller C, Bracher F, Merl-Pham J, Hauck SM, Schloter M, Michael AN, Anderson D, Honeker L, Gozdz J, Pivniouk O, Ober C, Holbreich M, Martinez FD, Snyder SA, von Mutius E, Vercelli D. Asthma-protective agents in dust from traditional farm environments. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2023; in press.
van der Vlugt L, Eger K, Müller C, Ninaber DK, Zarcone MC, Amatngalim GD, Bracher F, von Mutius E, Smits HH, Hiemstra PS. Farm dust reduces viral load in human bronchial epithelial cells by increasing barrier function. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2018; 141:1949-1952.