Jörn Oliver Sass

Professor Jörn Oliver Sass is a distinguished academic in the field of biochemistry and metabolic disorders, currently serving as Professor of Bioanalytics and Biochemistry at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) within the Department of Applied Natural Sciences. He leads the Research Group on Inborn Errors of Metabolism (FG Sass) and maintains an affiliation as an 'Apl. Professor' at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. His academic journey spans multiple prestigious institutions across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, establishing him as a leading expert in laboratory diagnostics of metabolic diseases.

Professor Sass completed his Diplom in Biochemistry at Freie Universität Berlin in 1991, followed by postgraduate studies in environmental protection at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (1991-1993). He earned his doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) from Freie Universität Berlin in 1996 and completed his habilitation in Clinical Biochemistry at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg in 2005. His academic career includes positions as:

• Scientific Assistant at Freie Universität Berlin (1991-1995)
• University Assistant at Universität Innsbruck (1996-2001)
• Head of the Metabolic Laboratory at Universitätsklinikum Freiburg (2002-2006)
• Head of Clinical Biochemistry & Metabolism Laboratory at Universitätsklinikum Freiburg (2006-2012)
• Leading Chemist at Universitäts-Kinderspital Zürich, Switzerland (2012-2014)
• Professor at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (since 2015)
• Research Professor (2017-2020)
• Guest Professor at University College Dublin (2020-2021)

Professor Sass's research focuses on pathobiochemical mechanisms and laboratory diagnostics of inborn errors of metabolism, with special emphasis on aminoacylases (aminoacylase-1 deficiency, Canavan disease), amino acid N-acyltransferases, and the metabolism of branched-chain and selected other amino acids. His work encompasses disorders of ketone body formation and utilization, with significant contributions to developing biochemical analytical methods for laboratory diagnostics. Recently, he has introduced the nematode C. elegans as an invertebrate animal model into metabolic research, expanding the experimental approaches in the field.

His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to understanding metabolic disorders, particularly in the areas of amino acid metabolism, ketone body metabolism, and inborn errors of metabolism. Professor Sass has played a key role in developing diagnostic protocols and clinical guidelines for rare metabolic conditions, collaborating with international experts to establish consensus standards for diagnosis and management.

Professor Sass serves as a Communicating Editor/Advisory Board Member for the Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease since 2010 and is an active member of the Education and Training Advisory Committee (ETAC) of the Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism (SSIEM) and the European registry and network for Intoxication type Metabolic Diseases (E-IMD). He also collaborates with Metabolicum Ruhr, contributing to regional metabolic disease expertise.

He has supervised numerous students and researchers, inviting those with strong interest in inborn errors of metabolism to join his research group. Professor Sass leads multiple research projects including the 'Analyseplattform für molekulare Mechanismen und zelluläre Funktionen' and studies on ketone bodies, amino acid N-acyltransferases, and genetic polymorphisms. His laboratory has developed advanced analytical capabilities for studying metabolic processes and disease mechanisms.

Professor Sass's laboratory at H-BRS features a comprehensive analysis platform for molecular mechanisms and cellular functions, including microscale thermophoresis for protein interaction studies, multi-mode detection for enzyme activity tests, automated patch-clamp systems, and solid-supported membrane electrophysiology for transporter research. This infrastructure supports his team's investigations into membrane transport processes and molecular disease mechanisms.