Maja Köhn
Professor
University of Bonn
Talk Information
Disease-Focused Peptide Discovery
19 June 2025, 11:20am - 11:45am, in the Pacific Jewel Ballroom
L20 – Targeting Phosphatases with Peptides and Phosphomimetics
Professor Maja Köhn is a Schlegel Professor of Molecular Cell Biology and Managing Director of the Institute for Cell Biology at the University of Bonn. Her interdisciplinary research combines synthetic chemistry and cell biology to investigate the role of phosphatases in cellular signaling, with implications for diseases such as cancer and heart failure.
Academic Background
Dr. Köhn earned her Diplom in Chemistry from the University of Kiel. She completed her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the Technical University Dortmund and the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology in 2005, under the supervision of Professor Herbert Waldmann. Following a postdoctoral fellowship with Professor Gregory Verdine at Harvard University, she led a research group at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL, in Heidelberg from 2007 to 2016. Prior to her current position, she served as Professor for Integrative Signaling Studies at the University of Freiburg from 2016 to 2024.
Research Focus
Professor Köhn's research centers on the development and application of chemical tools to study phosphatases—enzymes that regulate protein function through dephosphorylation. Her work aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of phosphatase activity and their roles in cellular processes, particularly in the context of cancer biology and cardiac function. By integrating synthetic chemistry, biochemistry, and cell biology, her team seeks to identify novel therapeutic targets and strategies.
Notable Contributions
Dr. Köhn has significantly advanced the understanding of phosphatase biology, contributing to the identification of phosphatase-substrate networks and the development of selective inhibitors. Her work has provided insights into the regulation of signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation and differentiation, with potential applications in cancer therapy and regenerative medicine.
Awards and Honors
Professor Köhn's research excellence has been recognized with an ERC Consolidator Grant, supporting her investigations into phosphatase function in health and disease. Her contributions to chemical biology have also been acknowledged through her selection as a speaker at international conferences and her involvement in collaborative research initiatives.
Professional Engagements
Beyond her research, Dr. Köhn has held leadership roles in academic institutions, including serving as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Biology at the University of Freiburg and as Speaker of the BIOSS Centre for Biological Signaling Studies. She is also a member of the Transdisciplinary Research Area "Life and Health" at the University of Bonn, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in biomedical research.
Through her innovative approach to studying phosphatases and her commitment to interdisciplinary research, Professor Maja Köhn continues to contribute significantly to the fields of chemical biology and molecular medicine.
Targeting Phosphatases with Peptides and Phosphomimetics
University of Bonn, Institute for Cell Biology, Bonn, Germany
Protein phosphatases play key roles in essential cellular processes. Their misregulation contributes to diseases such as cancer, immune diseases, and heart failure. Accordingly, there is a strong interest to study their mechanisms and druggability, as well as to validate them as disease targets1.
Often phosphatases are regulated by protein–protein interactions (PPIs), which cover large surfaces and are not amenable for small molecule binding1,2. Peptides and peptidomimetics as research tools and drug leads enable targeting large surface areas to inhibit PPIs, and natural interactions can be used as a starting point to design selective, stable, and cell-active peptidic PPI inhibitors.
Taking advantage of these properties, we develop peptide-based modulators for phosphatases, including their photo-induced activation and the incorporation of phosphomimetics3–5. I will discuss the development of bioactive peptides in the context of phosphatases, including the observation of rather unexpected findings concerning binding affinities and biochemical effects of those modulators.
1. Köhn M. ACS Cent. Sci. 2020, 6, 467–477.
2. Kokot T, Köhn M. J. Cell Sci. 2022, 135, jcs259618.
3. Chatterjee J, Beullens M, Sukackaite R, Qian J, Lesage B, Hart D, Bollen M, Köhn M. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 10054–10059.
4. Trebacz M, Wang Y, Makotta L, Henschke L, Köhn M. J. Org. Chem. 2020, 85, 1712–1717.
5. Maller C, Marouda E, Köhn M. ChemBioChem 2024, 25, e202400561.