Florentine Marx-Ladurner

Florentine Marx-Ladurner is an Associate Professor at the Division of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University. She has held this position since 2007, following her habilitation (Venia docendi) for Microbiology in 2006. Her academic journey began with a PhD thesis on "Phosphate and nitrogen regulated genes in Penicillium chrysogenum" at the Department of Microbiology, Medical School, University of Innsbruck in 1996. She then completed postdoctoral research at the Institute of Biomedical Aging Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Innsbruck (1996-1999) and a research fellowship at the Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology in Oxford, UK (1999) before joining Innsbruck Medical University as an Assistant Professor in 1999.

Dr. Marx-Ladurner's educational background includes:

• PhD in Microbiology, University of Innsbruck (1996)
• Postdoctoral research at Institute of Biomedical Aging Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences (1996-1999)
• Research fellowship at Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford, UK (1999)

Her primary research focus is on antifungal proteins in filamentous fungi, particularly studying small, basic, cysteine-rich antifungal proteins secreted by molds like Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus nidulans, and Aspergillus fumigatus. Her work aims to identify, isolate, and characterize novel extracellular proteins on their molecular and functional levels, with the goal of developing new antifungal strategies. Her research has significant implications for pharmaceutical applications, bio-pesticides, and crop protection. Analysis of her publication record reveals a strong emphasis on protein structure-function relationships, mechanisms of antifungal activity, and potential applications in both medical and agricultural contexts.

Dr. Marx-Ladurner has secured substantial research funding throughout her career, including multiple grants from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Austrian National Bank, and international collaborations with Hungarian and Italian institutions. Her most notable projects include the Lise Meitner Program (M1776-B20) on "New antifungal strategies: structure and function of NFAP" and the bilateral FWF-NKFIH project (I 3132-B21) on "The gamma-core motif of antifungal proteins from Ascomycetes."

Her scientific contributions have been recognized through numerous peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals, with over 100 publications to her name. Her work has particularly focused on the Penicillium chrysogenum antifungal protein (PAF) and related proteins, investigating their structure-function relationships, mode of action, and potential applications.

Dr. Marx-Ladurner is actively involved in mentoring and teaching, having supervised numerous students and participated in various educational programs at the Medical University of Innsbruck. She has also organized international mini-symposia on antifungal proteins and peptides, fostering collaboration among researchers in structural biology, biochemistry, mycology, and biotechnology.