During her PhD studies, Ane Bretschneider Søgaard researched the chemical engineering of synthetic and mammalian cells by applying artificial receptors made by organic chemistry tools to empower new functionalities.

In synthetic cells, she established transmembrane communication by the installation of stimuli-responsive artificial receptors resulting in the activation of an internal enzyme. This research is an advancement within the field of artificial signal transduction and encourages the future of responsive cell-free biosensors and cell mimicry.    

In mammalian cells, Ane studied additional artificial receptors that enabled fast, potent, and selective drug delivery or efficiently depleted an extracellular target protein. These new research findings illustrate how novel artificial internalizing receptors can be useful tools for enhanced control in cell-based therapies and future cell-engineering purposes.

The PhD study was completed at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Friday, 11 October 2024 at 10.00.
Place: Building 1593, Room 012, iNANO Auditorium, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus
Title of PhD thesis: Chemical Cell Engineering Using Artificial Receptors
Contact information: Ane Bretschneider Søgaard, e-mail: abs@chem.au.dk, tel.: +45 41456165

Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Christian Adam Olsen, Center for Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Assistant Professor Michael Booth, Department of Chemistry, University College London, United Kingdom

Professor Jan Skov Pedersen (chair), Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark

Main supervisor:
Professor Alexander N. Zelikin, Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Denmark

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C