Daniel Chr. Lauster

Prof. Dr. Daniel Chr. Lauster is a W1TTW2-Professor for Biopharmaceuticals at the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin. He leads the Lauster Group focused on biopharmaceutical research with particular emphasis on virus-mucus interactions, mucolytic therapies, and antiviral strategies. His laboratory is located at the Institute of Pharmacy, Biopharmaceuticals, Altensteinstr. 23A, Room 2.02, 14195 Berlin.

His educational background includes a Diplom in Technical Biology from Universität Stuttgart (2005-2011), followed by doctoral studies in Experimental Biophysics at Humboldt-Universität Berlin (2011-2018), where he earned his Dr.rer.nat. summa cum laude. He also completed medical studies at Charité Berlin (2014-2020), achieving the 1st State Examination with Famulaturreife. His research career includes significant work at the Max-Planck Institute for Infection Biology and Emory University.

Dr. Lauster's research focuses on biopharmaceutical approaches to combat respiratory diseases, with particular expertise in mucolytic therapy development, influenza virus inhibition mechanisms, and SARS-CoV-2 interactions with biological systems. His work bridges virology, polymer chemistry, and respiratory medicine, developing novel therapeutic strategies targeting mucus barriers and viral entry mechanisms. His laboratory employs advanced techniques including mass photometry, SEIRA spectroscopy, and macromolecular rheology to study virus-mucus interactions at molecular and systems levels.

His publication record demonstrates consistent high-impact research, with recent work (2023-2025) focusing on mucin structural determinants in viral inhibition, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein electrostatics, novel mucolytic agents based on polyglycerol derivatives, and mechanisms of lipid nanoparticle-mucus interactions. These publications reveal a strong interdisciplinary approach combining pharmaceutical science, virology, and biophysics to address critical challenges in respiratory medicine.

Dr. Lauster leads multiple significant research projects including the BMBF-NanoMatFutur project MucPep (since 2021) and previously directed the SPRIN-D Challenge project MucBoost (2021-2024).

He actively mentors the next generation of scientists, currently supervising seven PhD students working on diverse projects related to peptide electrochemistry, 2D human bronchial models, antiviral therapies, and macromolecular rheology. His laboratory includes postdoctoral fellows, technical staff, and student assistants, creating a vibrant research environment focused on translating basic science into therapeutic applications.