Research - page under construction

 

Bacterial Multidrug Transport

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A key focus of our lab is to understand how bacterial multidrug transporters contribute to antibiotic resistance. We study secondary active transporters such as LmrP, NorA, and QacA to unravel how substrate binding, proton coupling, and membrane composition influence their conformational dynamics and transport efficiency. These systems provide excellent models for dissecting fundamental principles of transporter function and are also of clinical relevance, as they actively export a broad range of drugs, limiting therapeutic efficacy. Our goal is to identify new strategies to inhibit these efflux systems and restore antibiotic potency.

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Drug transport within the human body

In parallel, we investigate solute carriers involved in drug absorption, distribution, and elimination in humans. We are particularly interested in transporters such as LAT1, OAT1, and OCT2, which play central roles at physiological barriers like the blood-brain barrier or in renal clearance. Understanding how these transporters recognize and translocate diverse ligands—including essential nutrients, xenobiotics, and therapeutic compounds—can guide the development of adjunct therapies that improve drug delivery or limit off-target toxicity. We also explore the potential of targeting transporters directly to modulate disease-related pathways.

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Phytohormone Transport

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Through the Plant-PATH Center of Excellence initiative (https://mbg.au.dk/plant-path), we aim to uncover the molecular mechanisms that govern hormone distribution in plants. By combining structural biology, biophysics, and computational approaches, our goal is to provide novel insights into how transporters regulate hormone movement — a key process underlying plant growth, development, and adaptation.

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Method development in HDX-MS

Our research is method-driven, with a strong emphasis on the development and optimization of hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) for the study of membrane proteins. We have established a robust in-house HDX-MS platform and are continuously working on improving workflows for challenging systems, including low-abundance, detergent-solubilized, or lipid-reconstituted proteins.

 

By integrating HDX-MS with native MS, solid-supported membrane electrophysiology (SURFE²R), and single-molecule FRET, we aim to obtain high-resolution insights into the conformational dynamics and allosteric regulation of transporters in near-native environments.