Sonali M. Vaidya

Sonali M. Vaidya is a researcher at the Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, focusing on biochemical and biophysical studies of plant-derived peptides. Her recent work investigates the heme-binding properties of NCR247 peptides, utilizing UV/Vis and resonance Raman spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulations, and in silico docking.

• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams at Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology and Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena
• Specializes in spectroscopic analysis and computational modeling of peptide-metal interactions
• Contributed to understanding heme homeostasis in host-pathogen interactions

Research Interests: Elucidating molecular mechanisms of heme binding to cysteine-rich peptides, analyzing disulfide connectivity impacts on binding affinity, and exploring therapeutic implications for bacterial iron sequestration. Her work bridges plant biology with antimicrobial peptide characterization.

Methodology: Combines biochemical assays, advanced spectroscopy, and computational analysis. Key findings reveal Tyr20 as the primary heme-coordinating residue in NCR247 peptides, with disulfide bonds modulating binding efficiency.

Collaborations: Works with experts in photonic technology (Anuradha Ramoji, Ute Neugebauer) and computational chemistry (Dhruv C. Rathod), under the supervision of Prof. Diana Imhof.