Projects of RG Hausch
Overview
Psychopharmacological drugs are among the best tools to investigate the biological basis of complex mental diseases in a clinically relevant manner. The goal of the Chemical Genomics research group is the chemical modulation and pharmacological characterization of proteins that are implicated in psychiatric disorders. For this purpose, we develop small molecular chemical agents to selectively disrupt pathways that are thought to underlie the behavioral abnormalities observed in psychiatric patients.
Projects typically involve the development of assays for the proteins of interest to address their function at a biochemical or cell-based level. We further apply these assays in the screening of chemical libraries using a recently established in-house screening facility. The bioactive compounds thus identified are subsequently optimized by medicinal chemistry in our lab to improve their properties (affinity, selectivity, physico-chemical parameters) and to understand the structure-activity relationships. This is assisted by rational design strategies if structural data are available.
Small molecules thus discovered are used as chemical tools to elucidate protein function on a biochemical and cellular level, and to probe signalling pathways in a pharmaceutically meaningful manner. The effect of the target proteins on behaviour and stress-coping is then interrogated in collaboration with biological research groups in animal models.
Development of specific FKBP Inhibitors
Biomimetic screening of CRH receptor ligands
Characterization of FKBP51 and FKBP52 knock-out mice
Characterization of new candidate genes for stress-associated diseases
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