Peter Braun
Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP - Immunology, Infection and Pandemic Research IIP, Penzberg, Germany
Braun Lab
Dr. Peter Braun is head of the Molecular Biotechnology Group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP) in Munich/Penzberg. Before joining Fraunhofer, he served as an officer and group leader at the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, where he focused on highly pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis. At Fraunhofer ITMP, his team develops innovative approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, with a particular emphasis on engineering bacteriophages and their proteins. Their work combines cutting-edge tools in molecular biology, protein production and engineering, AI-driven protein design, and structural biology. A key area of research is the use of receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) as antibody alternatives for the detection of bacterial pathogens. In addition he and his team are also interested in other antibody alternatives such as de novo minibinders.
Affiliations: (1). Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP - Immunology, Infection and Pandemic Research IIP, Penzberg (Germany) (2). Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Munich (Germany) (3). Micreos GmbH, Wädenswil, Switzerland (present address; not connected to this research) (4). Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich (Germany)
Phage receptor binding proteins (RBPs) are emerging as an innovative alternative to antibodies for the detection of pathogenic bacteria. While antibody-based assays are widely used for identifying specific bacterial antigens, they often suffer from limitations in specificity, particularly due to the close genetic relationship of target pathogens to their non-pathogenic relatives. RBPs, on the other hand, have evolved over millennia to bind to specific bacterial surface receptors, providing a more precise and, a priori, real-life-tested approach for pathogen detection. We focus on the identification and engineering of RBPs that may serve as highly specific detection tools in clinical and biodefense-related settings for a wide range of pathogenic bacteria including notorious biothreat agents. To achieve this objective, we employ in silico RBP prediction tools and structural analyses to uncover diverse RBPs with most likely optimal binding capabilities. For initial testing of new RBPs, their respective genes are funnelled as synthetic open reading frames into our standardized heterologous protein production pipeline and coupled with reporter moieties, either fluorophores or chromogenic enzymes. If enrichment of target bacteria from clinical or environmental matrices is required, RBPs can be easily coupled to magnetic beads to enhance the capture and isolation of target bacteria from such complex samples. From there, options arise to improve sensitivities in diagnostic tests or to obtain pure live cultures for further study. In summary, by leveraging the unique properties of RBPs, we seek to advance the field of pathogen detection and to overcome key limitations associated with traditional (antibody-based) diagnostic methods.