Prof. Dr. Aphrodite Kapurniotu

Professorship

Peptide Biochemistry

Academic Career and Research Areas

Professor Kapurniotu (*1961) performs research in the field of peptide (bio)chemistry. A major aim of her research is to develop novel peptide-based molecules as leads for therapeutics and tools for understanding the molecular mechanism of amyloid diseases, in particular Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In addition, her research aims at characterizing interactions of inflammatory chemokines in atherosclerosis and the development of peptide-based inhibitors. She uses chemical, biochemical and biophysical methods.

Professor Kapurniotu studied chemistry in Athens and Tübingen (1985) and obtained her PhD degree in Tübingen in 1990. She conducted postdoctoral studies at Rutgers University and the Picower Institute for Medical Research (1992-95) in the US. Having completed her postdoctoral teaching qualification (habilitation) in the field of biochemistry in Tübingen (2001), she moved to the RWTH Aachen (2002) where she headed a biomedical research group (2002-2007). In 2007, she was appointed as a professor for Peptide Biochemistry at TUM. She is inventor of five granted US and seven granted European patents.

Spanopoulou A, Heidrich L, Chen H-R, Frost C, Hrle D, Malideli E, Hille K, Grammatikopoulos A, Bernhagen J, Zacharias M, Rammes G, Kapurniotu A: “Designed macrocyclic peptides as Nanomolar Amyloid Inhibitors Based on Minimal Recognition Elements”. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018; 57: 14503-14508.

Abstract

Andreetto E, Malideli E, Yan LM, Kracklauer M, Farbiarz K, Tatarek-Nossol M, Rammes G, Prade E, Neumüller T, Caporale A, Spanopoulou A, Bakou M, Reif B, Kapurniotu A: "A Hot-Segment-Based Approach for the Design of Cross-Amyloid Interaction Surface Mimics as Inhibitors of Amyloid Self-Assembly". Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015; 54: 13095-13100.

Abstract

Andreetto E, Yan LM, Tatarek-Nossol M, Velkova A, Frank R, Kapurniotu A: "Identification of Hot Regions of the Aβ-IAPP Interaction Interface As High Affinity Binding Sites in both Cross- and Self-Association". Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010; 49: 3081-3085.

Abstract

Yan LM, Velkova A, Tatarek-Nossol M, Andreetto E, Kapurniotu A: "Designed IAPP Mimic Blocks Aβ Cytotoxic Self-Assembly: Cross-Suppression of Amyloid Toxicity of Aβ and IAPP Suggests a Molecular Link between Alzheimer’s Disease and Type 2 Diabetes." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007; 46: 1246-1252.

Abstract

Yan LM, Tatarek-Nossol M, Velkova A, Kazantzis A, Kapurniotu A: "Design of a mimic of non-amyloidogenic and bioactive IAPP as a nanomolar affinity inhibitor of IAPP fibrillogenesis and cytotoxicity". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2006; 103: 2046-2051.

Abstract