Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christoph Arenz

Professional Experience (selection)

• 2004- Junior Professor for Bioorganic Chemistry, HU Berlin
• 2010-2011 Substitute Professorship for Organic Chemistry, Universität Leipzig

Scientific Scope

• miRNAs: We try to develop and discover small molecules inhibiting the maturation of specific micro RNAs upregulated in cancer.
• Sphingolipid Signaling: We develop small molecule inhibitors of enzymes involved in sphingolipid signaling.
• Hsp70: We elucidate the cancer-specific lysosomal role of Hsp70. We develop molecules that specifically interact with lysosomal Hsp70 and thus should enable lysosome-mediated cell death.

Most important Awards, Grants or Scientific Achievements

• 2010 Heisenberg Fellowship of the DFG

Selected References

• Kirkegaard, T., Roth, A.G., Petersen, N.H.T., Mahalka, A.K., Olsen, O.D., Moilanen, I., Zylicz, A., Knudsen, J., Sandhoff, K., Arenz, C., Kinnunen, P.K.J., Nylandsted, J. & Jäättelä, M. (2010). Hsp70 stabilizes lysosomes and reverts Niemann-Pick disease-associated lysosomal pathology. Nature 463, 549.
• Roth, A.G, Drescher, D., Yang, Y., Redmer, S., Uhlig, S. & Arenz, C. (2009). Potent and Selective Inhibition of Acid Sphingomyelinase by Bisphosphonates. Angew Chem. Int Ed 48, 7560.
• Davies, B.P. and Arenz, C. (2006). A Homogenous Assay for Micro RNA Maturation. Angew Chem Int Ed 45, 5048.