A new protective shield against viruses
A team at Freie Universität Berlin (FU) led by Professor Daniel Lauster is working on a nasal spray that wards off flu viruses
The new FU research centre SupraFAB, short for Supramolecular Functional Architectures at Biological Interfaces, on Altensteinstrasse in Berlin Dahlem, has more to offer than its impressive architecture. On the inside, it boasts state-of-the-art analysis devices, centrifuges, and apparatuses that directly measure the interactions between molecules, explains Daniel Lauster on a tour of the laboratory.
Lauster’s team of ten investigates how natural mucus can be most effectively supported in fending off infectious pathogens. The outermost protective layer of the human body, the skin, is unable to keep all the viruses and bacteria out. Inside of the body, however, the invaders are quickly faced with another strong barrier—natural mucus. Being a hydrogel, it’s sticky although it consists of water to 95 percent. You can find the slippery layers in the nose, mouth, and digestive system. Mucus plays an important role in the lungs and the urinary tract as well. Colloquially called phlegm, it’s not only slippery but also protects sensitive surfaces against dryness and dirt. It’s the body’s first line of defence and diligently intercepts pathogens.
“The human body produces around two litres of mucus every day. In total, roughly 200 square metres of mucus cover the internal organs,” explains Lauster. The 38-year-old biophysicist originally studied technical biology at the University of Stuttgart. After graduating with a diploma, he followed up with a doctorate at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. A native of the Swabian town Kirchheim/Teck, he had been conducting his research as a postdoc and junior group leader at FU since 2018, before being appointed junior professor for biopharmaceuticals.
In his research, Lauster now focuses on making natural mucus fit to provide better protection against viral infections. Under his leadership, the international ‘MucBoost’ research team aims to strengthen the mucus defence system to such an extent that infections are prevented as far as possible. The aim is to develop active substances that can target and bind viruses. In doing so, substrates containing viruses can be removed before they can trigger infections. The mucus then acts as a molecular mask. The method is based on a modular principle and can be flexibly adapted to different viruses.
The MucBoost project was one of the winners of a competition titled ‘A Quantum Leap for New Antiviral Agents’, which was hosted by the Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND) in November 2021. MucBoost secured funding worth 2.5 million euros by qualifying and topped it up to a total of 4.7 million euros by being among the four projects that received an award. The funding is limited to one year each. “There’s a contract with SPRIND about what should be achieved,” says Lauster. The aim is to set up an antiviral platform and a nasal spray against flu viruses.
These projects are being pushed forward by the FU working group. To establish the results on the market, the company MucosaTec GmbH was recently founded, which also benefits from SPRIND funding. In addition to Lauster, postdoc researcher Anja Himmelstein and the CEO of PharmBioTec Marius Hittinger are members of the team. The new biotech start-up is headquartered in Schiffweiler in the Saarland and is setting up a research and development branch at FU in Berlin.
With many applications for new collaborators, the Berlin-based group is expected to grow quickly. Next to his professorship at FU, Lauster will act as a research consultant. Despite his intense scientific work, the biophysicist also finds time to enjoy Berlin’s diverse cultural and culinary offerings—which is another reason why the Swabian native likes being in Berlin.
Dr. Paul Janositz for POTENZIAL