Research

Research Priorities: Gene regulation, structural and functional relationship between modular multi-enzymes, structural and functional relationship between main cold shock proteins

Mohamed Marahiel is a German biochemist. He uses fungi and bacteria to research how such microbes continually adapt to their environment. The aim of his work is to gain a better understanding of the complex life and flexible adaptation of such microorganisms to their natural habitat.

In general, the search for new drugs with an antibacterial effect is of great importance. The reason is that bacterial strains are becoming increasingly resistant to conventional antibiotics. Therefore, researchers such as Mohamed Marahiel are trying to isolate new antibiotics from microorganisms, mostly from fungi or bacteria.

Another way of finding new antibiotics is to manufacture them directly. In order to do this it is first necessary to know their molecular structure and how they function, as well as how their molecular structure can be changed. Mohamed Marahiel is also involved with this as part of his basic research.

The results of this research can be used in practice to assist with the search for new drugs. Pharmacologically relevant peptides and polyketides of bacteria and fungi have a broad spectrum of activity. This ranges from drugs used as antibiotics, to drugs for the treatment of tumours (cytostatics) and further to those that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants).

Career

• 2016 Professor Emeritus, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
• 2012 Honorary Professor, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
• 1990-2016 Professor of Biochemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
• 1987 Habilitation, Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
• 1977-1982 Research Assistant and Team Leader, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, TU Berlin, Berlin, Germany
• 1974-1977 Doctorate, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
• 1971-1973 Degree in Chemistry, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University, Hanover, Germany and Georg August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
• 1966-1970 Degree in Chemistry, Cairo University, Gizeh, Egypt

Functions

• 2001-2003 Dean, Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
• Member, Editorial Board, Chemistry and Biology

Projects

• 2012-2015 Spokesperson, Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) 987 “Microbial Diversity in Environment-dependent Signal Response”, German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 2003-2009 Spokesperson, Research Unit (FOR) 495 “Synthesis of Functional Chemical-Biological Hybrid Compounds”, DFG
• 1996-2007 Head, Subproject “Molecular Analysis of the Cold Shock Response in Soil Bacteria of the Bacillus Genus”, SFB 395, DFG

Honours and Memberships

• 2014 David Gottlieb Memorial Lecture, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, USA
• 2009 Member, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, UK
• 2008 Max Bergmann Medal, Max Bergmann Kreis, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
• since 2004 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• Member, German Chemical Society (GDCh), Germany
• Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), USA
• Member, American Chemical Society (ACS), USA
• Member, American Society for Microbiology (ASM), USA
• Member, Association for General and Applied Microbiology and Biochemistry (VAAM), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• 1986 Fellowship, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA and German Research Foundation (DFG), Germany
• 1978 Fellowship, John Innes Centre (JIC), Norwich, UK and DFG, Germany