Professor Teskey: 600,000 euros for groundbreaking research work!

Professor Teskey: 600,000 euros for groundbreaking research work!

The Technical University of Braunschweig is supported by the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation as Professor Christopher Teskey is part of the Rise up! Program receives funding of 600,000 euros. These funds are intended to explore more efficient methods in the field of molecular editing with the aim of accelerating the development of new active ingredients. Teskey emphasizes that the financial support of his group opens up access to a new field of research that could have a significant impact on the discovery of innovative drugs.

Over 50% of newly approved drugs are small molecules, often developed by organic chemists. The synthesis of these molecules is often complex and resource-intensive. This is where the concept of molecular editing comes in, allowing chemists to quickly convert promising molecules into related structures, which can significantly speed up the development process.

New approach to drug development

The project, titled “Biomimetic catalysis for small molecule structural editing,” focuses on rearranging molecular structures in one step without changing the overall composition or size of the molecules. These adjustments could improve how a drug interacts with its biological target in the body.

The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation, founded in 1977 by Hubertus Liebrecht, has always supported medical, biological, chemical and pharmaceutical sciences. Christopher Teskey has studied at prestigious institutions such as the University of Cambridge and received his doctorate from the University of Manchester. He previously worked as a junior research group leader at RWTH Aachen University and took over the W2 professorship at TU Braunschweig in November 2023. For his achievements to date, he was awarded the Chemical Industry Fund Lecturer Prize and the Lower Saxony Impuls Professorship in 2024.

Innovations in genome editing

In parallel to research at the TU Braunschweig, genome editing is increasingly seen as a key technology for medicine. This is supported by recent developments in the industry, such as the collaboration between ExpressionEdits and Boehringer Ingelheim to improve the efficiency of gene therapies through AI-powered intron designs. Kärt Tomberg, an experienced geneticist, has developed methods that can increase protein production almost tenfold by inserting introns. This know-how is crucial for the development of optimized genetic engineering therapies.

The basis for these advances lies in research into genetic scissors such as CRISPR/Cas9, which have revolutionized DNA editing. This technology enables targeted genetic modifications and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2020. The diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities this creates could potentially help cure diseases, although there are also concerns about ethical implications and unexpected side effects.

The use of genome editing shows promising potential applications, particularly in cancer research and monogenic diseases. Clinical trials for applications such as the treatment of β-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia are currently underway, while direct use in patients is still awaiting approval. Ongoing improvements in methods and increasing data for risk assessments support progress in basic biomedical research.

The voices from the scientific and medical scene agree that developments in the field of molecular editing and genome editing have the potential to make significant progress in human medicine and to sustainably change drug development.