Associate Professor Markus Muttenthaler
Associate Professor

Markus Muttenthaler

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+61 7 334 62982

Background

Associate Professor Muttenthaler is a medicinal chemist working at the interface of chemistry and biology with a strong passion for translational research. His research focuses on bioactive peptides and exploring Nature's biodiversity to develop advanced molecular tools, diagnostics, and therapeutics. His background in drug discovery and development, as well as his interdisciplinary training in the fields of chemistry, molecular biology and pharmacology, assist him in characterising these often highly potent and selective compounds to study their interactions with human physiology for medical innovations in pain, cancer, gut disorders and neurological diseases.

Availability

Associate Professor Markus Muttenthaler is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Biochemistry and cell biology Biological Sciences Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Chemical Sciences Medical biochemistry - amino acids and metabolites Medical biochemistry - proteins and peptides (incl. medical proteomics) Medical biochemistry and metabolomics Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry Organic chemical synthesis Organic chemistry Proteins and peptides Receptors and membrane biology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, Technische Universität Wien
  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, Technische Universität Wien
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Neuropeptide Chemistry and Biology

  • Biological and Medicinal Chemistry

  • Peptide Drug Discovery and Development

  • Oxytocin and Vasopressin Research

  • Venom Peptide Drug Discovery

  • Gastrointestinal Disorders

  • Molecular Probe Development

  • Intranasal Peptide Delivery

  • Peptide Chemistry

  • Gastrointestinal wound healing

  • Breast Cancer

  • Multivalent Peptide Dendrimers

  • Selenochemistry

Research impacts

Peptides are key mediators in many biological functions and understanding of their interaction with target proteins is fundamental to unravel the underlying mechanism of diseases. Over the years, an increasing number of bioactive peptides from animals, plants, and bacteria have been characterised, with the overwhelming realisation that these molecules often show better therapeutic performance than their human counterparts, particularly in terms of in vivo stability. The main research efforts situated in this field of Chemical Biology focus on the exploration and translation of these vast and untapped natural libraries towards the development of useful research tools and therapeutics. Solid-phase peptide synthesis, the main tool to access these compounds, is a powerful technology for the assembly and chemical modification of these highly chiral and structurally complex peptides. This complexity is also responsible for their remarkable selectivity and potency as well as for their low side effect profile observed in the clinic.

Search Professor Markus Muttenthaler’s works on UQ eSpace

86 works between 2005 and 2025
All (86) Journal Article (61) Book Chapter (4) Conference Publication (20) Other Outputs (1)

81 - 86 of 86 works

2008

Journal Article

Selenopeptide chemistry

Muttenthaler, Markus and Alewood, Paul F. (2008). Selenopeptide chemistry. Journal of Peptide Science, 14 (12), 1223-1239. doi: 10.1002/psc.1075

Selenopeptide chemistry

2008

Journal Article

Conopressin-T from Conus tulipa reveals an antagonist switch in vasopressin-like peptide

Dutertre, Sébastien, Croker, Daniel, Daly, Norelle L., Andersson, Åsa, Muttenthaler, Markus, Lumsden, Natalie G., Craik, David J., Alewood, Paul F., Guillon, Gilles and Lewis, Richard J. (2008). Conopressin-T from Conus tulipa reveals an antagonist switch in vasopressin-like peptide. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283 (11), 7100-7108. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M706477200

Conopressin-T from Conus tulipa reveals an antagonist switch in vasopressin-like peptide

2008

Conference Publication

Selenocysteine in peptide folding and drug design

Muttenthaler, M., Nevin, S. T., Grishin, A. A., Ngo, S. T., Choy, P. T., Daly, N. L., Hu, S-H., Martin, J. L., Noakes, P. G., Craik, D. J., Adams, D. J. and Alewood, P. F. (2008). Selenocysteine in peptide folding and drug design. XXth International Symposium on Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC-ISMC 2008), Vienna, Austria, 31 August - 4 September 2008.

Selenocysteine in peptide folding and drug design

2008

Conference Publication

Selenocysteine in peptide drug design

Adams, D. J., Alewood, P. F., Choy, P. T., Craik, D. J., Daly, N. L., Grishin, A. A., Hu, S-H., Martin, J. L., Muttenthaler, M., Nevin, S. T., Ngo, S. T. and Noakes, P. G. (2008). Selenocysteine in peptide drug design. Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Annual Scientific Meeting: Drug Discovery and Development, Couran Cove Island Resort, Queensland, Australia, 13 - 17 July 2008.

Selenocysteine in peptide drug design

2006

Conference Publication

Directed folding of alpha-conotoxins using selenocysteine

Muttenthaler, M. and Alewood, P. F. (2006). Directed folding of alpha-conotoxins using selenocysteine. 29th European Peptide Symposium, Gdansk, Poland, 3-8 September 2006. Chichester, U.K.: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/psc.796

Directed folding of alpha-conotoxins using selenocysteine

2005

Journal Article

Synthesis and characterisation of new ditetrazole-ligands as more rigid building blocks of envisaged iron(II) spin-crossover coordination polymers

Muttenthaler M., Bartel M., Weinberger P., Hilscher G. and Linert W. (2005). Synthesis and characterisation of new ditetrazole-ligands as more rigid building blocks of envisaged iron(II) spin-crossover coordination polymers. Journal of Molecular Structure, 741 (1-3), 159-169. doi: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2005.02.007

Synthesis and characterisation of new ditetrazole-ligands as more rigid building blocks of envisaged iron(II) spin-crossover coordination polymers

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2027
    Intestinal Biofilms - New opportunities in diagnosing and treating gut disorders
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Super-resolution platform to accelerate biological and molecular research
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2025
    Investigating gastrointestinal biofilms regarding biochemistry and links with clinical manifestations (2023 MSHRSS Co-funded Collaboration Grant led by MSH)
    Metro South Research Support Scheme Co-funded Collaboration Grant
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Venom-derived blood-brain-barrier shuttles
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Molecular probe development for high specificity and spatiotemporal control
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2019
    Chemical Purification Network
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2019
    In vivo imaging system for tracking inflammation, infection, cancer, pain and bioactive molecules
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2022
    Development of oxytocin receptor specific tracers for improved breast cancer management
    Cancer Australia
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Development of oxytocin receptor specific tracers for improved breast cancer management
    Cancer Council Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Multichannel peptide synthesiser to accelerate UQ's biodiscovery pipeline and peptide drug development programs
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2022
    Understanding biological pathways underlying social behaviour in humans (ARC Linkage Project administered by the University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2021
    Novel therapeutic approaches to improve gastrointestinal wound healing - GUTPEPTIDES
    University of Vienna
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Mapping the location and function of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors throughout the gut
    Ferring Research Institute
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Gastrointestinal wound healing as a therapeutic approach to treat gastrointestinal disorders
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Intranasal Oxytocin - does it reach the central nervous system ?
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2017
    Individual function and social role of oxytocin-like neuropeptides in ants
    Medical University of Vienna
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Markus Muttenthaler is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Development of venom-derived blood-brain barrier shuttles

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Johan Rosengren

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Medicinal chemistry strategies to remove bacterial biofilms associated with gastrointestinal disorders

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Mark Blaskovich

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Targeting bacterial biofilms in patients with gastrointestinal disorders

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Mark Blaskovich

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Venom-derived peptides to study heart function and treat cardiovasculardisease

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Nathan Palpant

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Discovery and development of highly stable venom-derived peptide drug leads.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Johan Rosengren

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Molecular probes to study the role of OTR in health and disease

    Principal Advisor

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Markus Muttenthaler directly for media enquiries about:

  • bioactive peptides
  • chemical biology
  • cone snails
  • conotoxins
  • drug discovery and development
  • medicinal chemistry
  • neuropeptides
  • oxytocin
  • peptide and protein synthesis
  • vasopressin
  • venoms

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