Welcome to BörnerLab

Research Overview

  1. Synthesis and design of functional hybrid polymers (bioconjugates)
  2. Bio-mimetic formation of structure and function in synthetic polymers (peptide-guided organization and structure based functions)
  3. Pseudopeptides and precision polymers for biomedical applications (integrated polymer systems for gene or drug delivery)
  4. Bio-functionalization of surfaces (bioactive polymer fibers, scaffolds and material interfaces; Bio-inspired adhesion segments in block copolymers, (bio)-functional coatings, crystal growth modifiers)

Objectives: Controlling interactions in synthetic polymers as precisely as in proteins would have a strong impact on polymer science. Advanced structural and functional control can lead to rational design of, integrated nano- and microstructures. To achieve this, properties of oligopeptides were exploited. By incorporating these as monodisperse segments into synthetic polymers we show how to program structure formation in polymers, control inorganic-organic interfaces in fiber composites, induce structure in biomacromolecules for biomedical applications and generate bioactive surfaces to control biological systems.
 


News
08.05.2012 - Zimmer Award 2012
Hans Börner received:
International Hans and Marlies Zimmer Award 2012
from the University of Cincinnati, USA.
12.03.2012 - ‘‘Inverse’’ synthesis of polymer bioconjugates using soluble supports
Paper published in Chem. Commun. together with Dr. Jean-Francois Lutz (Strasbourg).

Well-defined cleavable or non-cleavable soluble polystyrene supports were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization and utilized for the iterative synthesis of functional hexapeptides. This approach allowed rapid and efficient liquid phase synthesis of peptide–polymer conjugates.

DOI: 10.1039/c2cc30233k
 
23.12.2011 - Peptide-mediated nanoengineering of inorganic particle surfaces: A general route toward surface functionalization via peptide adhesion domains.
New Paper in JACS has been accepted.

A one-step surface coating procedure is described. Coating is performed with peptide adhesion domains, found via phage display. This highly generalizable protocol permits various surface functionalization, which was shown by introduction of a fluorescent dye and PEGylation on Gadolinium oxide particles.

Manuscript ID: ja2104944; Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS)
 


09.12.2011 - Adding Spatial Control to Click Chemistry: Photo triggered Diels–Alder Surface (Bio)functionalization at Ambient Temperature
New Paper published in collaboration with Christopher Barner-Kowollik (KIT)

A photoconjugation strategy based on light-triggered Diels–Alder addition of o-quinodimethanes is described. The method provides spatial control, is compatible with biomolecules, and proceeds rapidly at ambient temperature without the need of a catalyst.

DOI: 10.1002/anie.201107095, Angew. Chem. Intern. Ed. 2012
 


09.08.2011 - Self-assembling nanofibers from thiophene-peptide diblock oligomers: a combined experimental and computer simulations study
Paper in ACSNano has been accepted 08.08.2011

Bioconjugates combining PEO-functionalized peptide segments with covalently linked semiconducting alkylated quaterthiophene moieties are reported. Self-assembly and stimuli-responsiveness was investigated in a convergent experimental and computational approach.

 


13.07.2011 - Berliner Tag der Chemie im Jahr der Chemie @ HU-Berlin

Der “Tag der Chemie” der Berliner Universitäten wird unter der Organisation des AK Börners an der HU-Berlin veranstaltet. Das diesjährige Motto “Studium....und dann?” soll zum Informationsaustausch zwischen Industrie und Universitäten anregen. Ausgewählte Beiträge beleuchten das Thema aus Sichtweisen namhafter Industrieunternehmen, Mittelständiger Unternehmen und Nachwuchsgruppen.

http://www.nordostchemie.de/tdc/tdc-tag-der-chemie

 
15.06.2011 - A book was published on Bioactive surfaces

Börner and Lutz edited a book on the topic of Bioactive Surfaces in the series of Advances in Polymer Science.

Börner, H. G.; Lutz, J.-F., (Eds.), "Bioactive Surfaces" In: Advances in Polymer Science,. Springer-Verlag: Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 2011; Vol. 240.
 
26.05.2011 - Calcium ions as bioinspired triggers to reversibly control the coil to helix transition in peptide-polymer conjugates

Paper to be published in Soft Matter A de novo designed calcium responsive peptide sequence was synthesized and the effect of conjugating poly (ethylene oxide) of different molecular weights on the calcium induced coil-to-helix transition was investigated. The secondary structure transition showed to be reversible upon addition of competitive calcium ion binders.

Soft Matter, DOI:10.1039/C1SM05625E
 
08.04.2011 - Regulating hierarchical nanostructure formation in bioconjugates via calcium ions

Paper published in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Inter- and intramolecular Coulomb interactions of peptides are modulated leading to a biomimetic approach to reversibly regulate functions in peptide-polymer conjugates. As triggers to screen peptide charges and thereby switching the peptide secondary structure, calcium ions are exploited. This results in a reversible control mechanism for bioconjugate self-assembly. By regulating the Ca2+ levels using competitive Ca2+ binders disassembly is feasible.

ACIEE: DOI: 10.1002/anie.201100141		  
21.01.2011 - Watchmakers in Polymer Science – On the Road to Precision Macromolecular Chemistry

Special Issue published in Macromol. Rapid Commun. (vol. 32, issue 2, 2011) Guest-editors: Hans G. Börner (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) and Jean-Francois Lutz (Institut Charles Sadron, Strasbourg)

http://www.materialsviews.com/details/news/980719
  
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