Jun.-Prof. Dr. Peter Wich
Assistant Professor (Juniorprofessor)
Institut für Pharmazie und Biochemie, JGU
Staudingerweg 5, 55128 Mainz
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We synthesize and evaluate dynamic biopolymers for therapeutic applications. This includes nano- and microparticles for the delivery of siRNA, proteins and small molecule drugs. Combining chemistry with biology and medicine we are working on novel approaches to solve therapeutic obstacles for future strategies allowing true personalized medicinal applications. Artificial nanostructures are very similar in size and shape to many biological species such as proteins or viruses. Nature’s toolbox provides us with a variety of biopolymers, such as carbohydrates, lipids, or polypeptides. Our research group applies a variety of chemistry methods to produce functionalized nanomaterials in order to mimic biological properties, while maintaining biocompatibility and degradability.
Key techniques: Bioorganic and supramolecular chemistry, medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry, biopolymers, polysaccharides, nanopartices, dynamic biomaterials, gene delivery, RNA interference, catalysis, bioconjugation methods
Research system/organism: Biopolymers, polysaccharides, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids
- “Polyphosphonium Polymers for siRNA Delivery: An Efficient and Non-Toxic Alternative to Polyammonium Carriers” C. Ornelas-Megiatto, P. R. Wich, J. M. J. Fréchet, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 1902–1905.
- 4. “Acid-Degradable Cationic Dextran Particles for the Delivery of siRNA Therapeutics” J. L. Cohen, S. Schubert, P. R. Wich, L. Cui, J. A. Cohen, J. L. Mynar, and J. M. J. Fréchet, Bioconjugate Chem. 2011, 22, 1056–1065.
- 3. “Reversible and Non-Competitive Inhibition of β-Tryptase by Tetravalent Peptide Ligands Identified from a Combinatorial Split-Mix-Library” P. R. Wich, C. Schmuck, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 4113–4116.
- 2. “Direct and Label-Free Detection of Solid-Phase-Bound Compounds by Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Microspectroscopy” C. Schmuck, P. Wich, B. Küstner, W. Kiefer and S. Schlücker, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 4786–4789.
- 1. “Sequence-Dependent Stereoselectivity in the Binding of Tetrapeptides in Water by a Flexible Artificial Receptor” C. Schmuck, P. Wich, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 4277–4281.