Speaker: Prof. Dr. Axel Rosenhahn
April 10th, 2026 | 2:00 pm
DEIB, Alpha Room (Bld. 24)
Contact: Prof. Carlo Fiorini
Abstract
On April 10th, 2026, at 2:00 pm the seminar on "Supporting cytostatic and antimicrobial drug development by XRF and SAXS nanoanalysis at synchrotron sources" will take place in DEIB Alpha Room (Building 24).Synchrotron sources provide a unique toolbox for element specific nanoanalysis and structure determination with unprecedented accuracy and sensitivity. When biological samples are prepared either in their natural hydrated state or in a cryogenic vitrified state they retain their structure and elemental distribution close to their natural state. Two examples will be presented where drug development can strongly benefit from synchroton methods. As a first example, cytostatic metal complexes are analyzed by nanoprobe XRF analysis to study their intracellular targets and thus their potential modes of action. After treating cancer cell lines with the novel compounds, a cryogenic preparation procedure is used to conserve the cells close to their natural state and the samples are analyzed by a novel end station at the P06 beamline at Petra III, DESY, Hamburg by XRF nanoanalysis.
We were able to discern if ligand spheres or the used metals determine the intracellular targets of the cytostatic cancer treatment compounds. As second example we use small angle X-ray scattering at the BioSAXS beamline of Petra III to support the development of novel antimicrobial compounds to overcome emerging multiresistances. The method shall serve to accelerate and de-risk the developments of new antimicrobial drugs.
Short Bio
Axel Rosenhahn is Professor for Analytical Chemistry at the Ruhr-University Bochum. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Bonn in 2000. After a postdoc in the Materials Sciences Division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the Advanced Light Source, he joined 2002 Heidel-berg University to obtain his venia legendi in Physical Chemistry in the area of Biointerfaces and coherent imaging. Between 2009 and 2012 he led a research group at the Institute of Functional Interfaces at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. In 2012 he was appointed by the Ruhr-University Bochum as Professor for Analytical Chemistry with a focus on Biointerfaces. His work aims on understanding the interaction of microorganisms and cells with polymer materials and its implication for biofouling and biomedical research. Surface modification and polymer synthesis in conjunction with in- and ex-situ surface characterization is used to correlate surface properties with biological response for a knowledge driven development of new concepts for inert coatings. To gain a deeper insight into the structure and dynamics of surface colonization by microorgan-isms, microfluidic assays, microscopic 2D/3D tracking techniques, and X-ray nanoanalysis are de-veloped and applied in his group. Using synchrotron radiation (e.g. at DESY), cryogenic nanoprobe X-ray nanoanalysis is used to understand metal distributions in biological entities and small angle X-ray scattering serves to unravel material structure on the nanoscale and to screen different mi-croorganisms for the discovery of new antimicrobial and biocidal compounds. The results of his work have been published in more than 150 publications with an H index of 46.Curriculum vitae
1992-1997 Study of Chemistry (Diploma) at the University of Bonn
1997-2000 PhD with Prof. K. Wandelt, Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Bonn
2001-2002 Postdoc with Prof. C.S. Fadley, LBNL and ALS, Berkeley, USA
2002-2010 Habilitation with Prof. M. Grunze, Applied Physical Chemistry, University of Heidel-berg
2009-2012 Group leader Biointerfaces&Holography at the Institute of Functional Interfaces, KIT
since 2012 Professor for Analytical Chemistry - Biointerfaces at the Ruhr-University Bochum
Awards and service for the community
Scientific advisory committee ESRF (2022-2024), Fellow of the American Vacuum Society (2019)
Member of the Permanent International Committee for Research on the Preservation of Materials in the Marine Environment (COIPM, 2012-ongoing), Liebig-stipend of the FCI (2004-2007),
Eliteförderprogramm of the LBW (2004-2007), Feodor-Lynen Postdocstipend of the Alexander von Humboldt foundation (2001-2002), PhD stipend of the FCI (1998-1999)