Brainfood @ Noon: Die JCF Lunchtalks

Scientific Exchange at lunchtime on every first friday of the month!

Our next Lunchtalk Sessions, always from 12 - 13 PM:

and many more to come!

 Apply for a talk!

Do you want to present your research at our lunchtalks? Submit an abstract at https://forms.gle/pajNcEuZuRnHqhZ66

Certificates for all speakers will be provided!

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Next Session

Organic Chemistry@Noon

This November we are collaborating with the Liebig Association for Organic Chemistry.

Please note that this month we differ from our usual Lunchtalk date and are having our session on the second friday of the month.

Date: 13.02.2026

Time: 12 PM

Via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/93819807570?pwd=mVrMRyBlsNi9ezRNEROSdZeaJFuxO4.1

Zhengyang Dong, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

"Flavin-based electron-bifurcation: From cell to flask"

In 2008 is the definition of flavin-based electron bifurcation firstly mentioned by Thauer and Buckel in a review, which is an endergonic single-electron process that happens in bacteria cell, which presents in deep sea, to help energy saving during metabolism under dark conditions. Our target is, using this principle to build up similar catalytic cycle catalysed by flavin and develop an useful strategy make endergonic reactions possible without light iradiation.

Dr. Marvin Wenninger, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg

"(+)-Neosorangicin A: Synthetic Access to a Promising Natural Product Lead"

Bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) is a well-established antibiotic target, best known through the drug rifampicin. However, resistance to rifampicin emerges quickly and strongly limits its long-term efficacy. Natural products illustrate that bacterial RNAP can still be inhibited even when resistance to existing antibiotics has emerged. In particular, sorangicins are a distinct class of RNAP inhibitors that bind to the same site as rifampicin while remaining active against some rifampicin-resistant polymerases.
In this talk, we focus on (+)-neosorangicin A, a recently identified sorangicin derivative with a shorter side chain and improved antimicrobial activity. Recent biosynthetic work has clarified how its structural diversity arises and points to (+)-neosorangicin A as a promising lead for tackling rifampicin resistance. Studying such complex natural products not only allows us to explore structure–activity relationships but also highlights how chemical synthesis turns biosynthetic insights into new opportunities for developing antibiotics.

Thanks to our previous speakers!

05 December 2025: Physical Chemistry

Abha Valavalkar (Friedrich Schiller University Jena)

"Photophysics of biologically relevant molecules"

07 November 2025: Macromolecular Chemistry

Anna-Lisa Poser (Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP // University of Potsdam)

"The Shape Memory Effect in Polyurethane Foams"

07 October 2025: Electrochemistry 

Franziska Kühling (Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg)

"New Insights on the Fundamentals of Bipolar Electrochemistry"

Alena Neudert (Universität Bayreuth) 

"Hybrid all-Fe Redox Flow Battery: Coupling Theory and Experiment"