Current Research Actvities

The group is currently developing a new process for the magnetic separation of lamp phosphor components based on their chemical and physical properties. Newly synthesized magnetic beads are stabilized with different chemicals, are functionalized with peptides and tested and compared to commercially available magnetic beads. New peptides that are selective for BAM, a blue fluorescent phosphor component that contains Europium, were identified using phage surface display. The peptides are produced using chemical synthesis and applied for new biocollector-functionalization experiments. The interaction of the peptides with target particles should also be optimized. 

Current projects can be found under the following link. In the PepMetal project new phage-bound peptides selective for special industry polymers were identified using phage surface display. In the Wipano project NORA the heterologous expression of one interesting peptide is under progress.

Press Releases

‘Bio-fishing’ for rare earths: How protein fragments can be used for the recycling of electronics waste

Without important key elements such as copper or rare earth metals, the electronics industry would grind to a halt and electricity would cease to flow. End-of-life products like discarded energy-saving lamps, mobile phones and computers could provide an important secondary source for these valuable elements; howe­ver, they are difficult to reco­ver. Unless, that is, small protein fragments are used to ‘fish’ them out – a technique described by researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg in an article published in the specialist magazine Research in Microbiology.

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Latest Publications

• Matys, S., Schönberger, N., Lederer, F.L., Pollmann, K. (2020)

  “Characterization of specifically metal-binding phage clones for selective recovery of cobalt and nickel” Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 8, 103636.   

  DOI-Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2019.103606

• Schönberger, N., Braun, R., Matys, S., Lederer, F.L., Lehmann, F., Flemming, K., Pollmann, K. (2019).

  „Chromatopanning for the identification of gallium binding peptides” Journal of Chromatography A, 1600, 158-166.

  DOI-Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2019.04.037

• Schönberger, N., Zeitler, C., Braun, R., Lederer, F.L., Matys, S., Pollmann, K. (2019).

  “Directed Evolution and Engineering of Gallium-Binding Phage Clones – A Preliminary Study” Biomimetics, 4, 35

  DOI-Link: 10.3390/biomimetics4020035 

• Lederer, F.L. (2019) "Bioangeln zum Recycling Seltener Erden – Selektive Trennung von Mineralen durch Phagen-gebundene Peptide", GIT Labor-Fachzeitschrift 2/2019, 27-29.

• Lederer, F.L., Braun, R., Schöne, L.M., Pollmann, K. (2019)
  "Identification of peptides as alternative recycling tools via phage surface display – How biology supports Geosciences", Minerals Engineering 132, 245-250.
  DOI-Link: 10.1016/j.mineng.2018.12.010

• Braun, R., Bachmann, S., Schönberger, N., Matys, S., Lederer, F., Pollmann, K. (2018)
  "Peptides as biosorbents – Promising tools for resource recovery", Research in Microbiology 169, 649-658.
  DOI-Link: 10.1016/j.resmic.2018.06.001

Current projects

• PepMetal: Development of a system for the design and synthesis of tailor-made peptides for the treatment of polymers prior to metal plating on plastics (Dr. Franziska Lederer/Dr. Katrin Pollmann, BMBF Bioökonomie-Ausschreibung Maßgeschneiderte Inhaltsstoffe 2, FKZ 031B0828A, 2020-2023)

• NORA: Establishment of a biological peptide expression system for gallium recovery and surface modification (Dr. Franziska Lederer, BMWi WIPANO Fördermaßnahme, 2020-2021)