Thomas Schrader

Professor Thomas Schrader is a leading faculty member in the Institute for Organic Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen. He heads the research group focused on Biosupramolecular Chemistry, where his team designs and develops synthetic molecular systems for biological applications.

His research interests lie at the intersection of chemistry and biology, particularly in the development of molecular tweezers and clips that selectively bind to proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Key areas include enzyme inhibition, disruption of pathological protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, artificial signal transduction, and DNA recognition. His work emphasizes the creation of tailored ligands that interfere with biological processes through novel mechanisms, often in collaboration with medical researchers.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend toward therapeutic applications of supramolecular systems, especially using molecular tweezers (such as CLR01) as broad-spectrum antivirals and inhibitors of amyloid aggregation. The research spans from fundamental host-guest chemistry to in vivo testing, demonstrating translational potential in neurology and virology.

Prof. Schrader is actively engaged in collaborative research and has published extensively in top-tier journals including Nature Communications, JACS, and Angewandte Chemie. His group is involved in multiple funded research projects, contributing to the Molecular and Chemical Cell Biology program at ZMB.

He leads a vibrant research team and mentors numerous coworkers, though specific PhD advisees are not listed. His work has significant implications for drug development and understanding protein misfolding diseases.