Johanna K. Elter

Dr. Johanna K. Elter is a Junior Research Group Leader in macromolecular chemistry at Freie Universität Berlin (since May 2025). Her research focuses on synthesizing sequence-defined, monodisperse polycations for biomedical applications, including antimicrobial agents, peptide mimetics, and heparin antidotes. She leads the AG Elter group within the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, specializing in organic chemistry.

Education & Career:

• B.Sc./M.Sc. Chemistry at Friedrich Schiller University Jena (2011–2017)
• Ph.D. in Chemistry (2017–2021) under Prof. Felix H. Schacher, focusing on block copolymers for nanocontainers
• Postdoc at Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry CAS (2021–2024), developing lipid nanoparticle drug delivery systems
• Postdoc at Friedrich Schiller University Jena (2024–2025), studying sequence-defined polymers

Research Interests: Her group explores polymers with tailored charged sequences to mimic peptides, combat antimicrobial resistance, and regulate blood clotting. Key topics include:

• Cationic polyelectrolytes for heparin complexation
• RAFT polymerization for triblock copolymers
• Bioinspired materials mimicking host defense peptides

Awards:

• Liebig Fellowship (2025–2028)
• Walter-Benjamin-Fellowship (2022–2024)
• DAAD Fellowships (2016, 2017, 2020)

Lab & Collaborations: Based at the SupraFAB Research Building, her team collaborates internationally and offers open positions in organic synthesis, macromolecular chemistry, and biomedical applications.