ESR12: Alexander Roentgen

Name: Alexander Roentgen

Host Organisation: University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Project Title: Rational design of a panel of antibodies targeting LINGO-1

Supervisor: Prof. Michele Vendruscolo

Objectives of the Project:

The goal of this project is the generation of a protein-specific and conformation-specific antibodies that recognise pre-selected epitopes of LINGO-1, which is a challenging target associated with the Bio2Brain project. To achieve this goal we will exploit a method or rational antibody design recently developed by UCAM.

The specific goals are:

  1. To review and finalise the selection of relevant target antigens;
  2. To apply the rational antibody discovery approach to design novel antibodies against these antigens;
  3. To express and purify the novel antibodies, and test their affinity and specificity for their targets.

Secondments:

  • LENS
    • Task: To learn how to characterise by imaging the binding of antibodies to their targets in physiological environments
    • Advisor: Dr. Martino Calamai
    • Duration: 1 month
  • MyB
    • Task: To learn how the chemical structure of particles for efficient formulations interact with the designed antibodies
    • Advisor: Dr. Nazende Günday-Türeli
    • Duration: 1 month
  • BI
    • Task: To learn industrial manufacturing of mAbs under GMP
    • Advisor: Dr. Martina Röhm
    • Duration: 1 month

Short Biography:

Alexander obtained his Bachelor and Master degrees in biochemistry from the University of Cologne, Germany. He conducted both his thesis projects at McGill University in Montréal, Canada, working on the recombinant production and characterisation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, which are involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer‘s disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. During his Master studies, he also performed internships at the Magnetic Resonance Centre in Florence and the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne.

For his PhD, he moved to Cambridge where he works in the research group of Prof. Michele Vendruscolo at the Centre for Misfolding Diseases. His project in the Bio2Brain network is focussed on the development of novel antibodies against challenging CNS targets, in particular LINGO-1, which is relevant in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Besides, Alexander is active in national and international biochemistry societies aimed at connecting young life scientists.

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