Dr Christoph Nitsche
Associate Investigator
The Australian National University
AI Nitsche has designed, synthesised and evaluated a number of modified peptides and peptidomimetics as inhibitors, probes, and tools for viral protein targets including, the first peptide-based protease inhibitors that significantly inhibit dengue virus replication in cell culture. He invented covalently binding peptides that helped solve the first crystal structure of the Zika virus protease (reported in Science). With CI Otting, he introduced chemical tools for probing protein-peptide interactions using NMR spectroscopy. Important for the Centre are new synthetic methods for peptide cyclisation and modification as well as development of unnatural amino acids for bioorthogonal chemical ligation. AI Nitsche will provide access to these novel methods to Centre members.