ChemistryView highlights our findings on enzymatic halogenation of proteins at C-terminal tryptophan published in Angewandte Chemie. An engineered variant of the Trp 6-halogenase Thal allows post-translational bromination of a tetrapeptide tag with C-terminal tryptophan in proteins on a preparative scale using the brominating E. coli coexpression strain Brocoli. The bromoarene can be derivatized by palladium-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling at 37 °C. This opens new avenues for bio-orthogonal modification of proteins by biocatalytic bromination of minimally tagged proteins.
The article from ChemistryView can be found here.
In recognition of his groundbreaking innovations, chemist Professor Dr. Norbert Sewald is awarded the Jörg Schwarzbich Inventor Award this year. This award honors his outstanding contributions to basic research in the field of cancer medications. The University Society Bielefeld (UGBi), in close collaboration with Bielefeld University, presents this honor, which comes with a prize of 40,000 euros. Norbert Sewald and his team have successfully developed a novel and highly potent drug that selectively targets tumor tissue, while affecting healthy cells to a significantly lesser extent. This approach enhances the effectiveness of the treatment while simultaneously improving its tolerability.
More information can be found here.
In a conversation with Hertz 87.9, Norbert Sewald discusses his motivation in cancer research, the potential timeframe until the application of the new drug as a cancer medication in clinics, and the future plans for his research and his team.
The interview can be found here.