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Professor Waldemar Vollmer
Professor

Waldemar Vollmer

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 62055

Overview

Background

Overview

Professor Waldemar Vollmer is a microbiologist working on the structure and biogenesis of the bacterial cell wall in various model bacteria and a range of pathogenic and environmental bacteria. He is particularly interested in how bacteria enlarge their cell wall when they grow and divide, and how antibiotics inhibit cell wall synthesis to kill bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem that is predicted to claim 10 million lives annually by the year 2050 if no new antibiotics are developed. Currently the pipeline of antibiotic development is almost empty and mostly limited to slightly modified versions to existing antibiotics. Professor Vollmer addresses the problem of AMR by generating tailored assays for the development of novel antibiotics that target AMR bacteria.

Collaborations: Professor Vollmer collaborates world-wide with more than 50 researchers at top national and international institutions on cell wall topics in over 30 different bacteria. These topics include: structure and composition of the cell wall and its role in maintaining cell morphology; molecular mechanisms of cell envelope biogenesis; role of new cell wall modifying enzymes in the interaction of pathogenic bacteria with components of the immune system; mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and targeting of cell wall biogenesis by new antibiotics.

Funding and Publications: Professor Vollmer has been awarded more than $15 million funding from research councils and charities in Germany, UK, Europe and USA. He has published more than 200 articles in international journals and has been recognised as a Highly Cited Researcher in Microbiology.

Honours and Awards: Professor Vollmer has been elected to Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (2014) and European Academy of Microbiology (2018). He received the annual Academic Distinction Awards from the Vice Chancellor of Newcastle University (2014), has been awarded a Distinguished Scientist Visiting Scholarships at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (Israel, 2012) and a Visiting Professorship at the University of Cagliari (Italy, 2015), and won a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Award (2014). He has co-organised the 2018 Gordon Conference (GRC) "Bacterial Cell Surfaces" (Mt Snow, USA) and the 2016 EMBO Workshop "Bacterial Cell Division: Orchestrating the Ring Cycle" (Prague, Czech Republic).

Short Biography: Prof Waldemar Vollmer has studied chemistry at the University of Applied Sciences in Reutlingen (Germany) and University of Basel (Switzerland). In 1998 he obtained a PhD degree (Dr.rer.nat.) from the University of Tübingen (Germany) for his work on cell wall synthesis in the model bacterium Escherichia coli undertaken at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology. During his postdoctoral studies at the Rockefeller University (New York, USA) he discovered novel cell wall enzymes that are crucial for the virulence of the pathogenic bacterium Streptococcus pneumoiae. In 2003 he was appointed Assistant Professor at the University of Tübingen and moved 2007 to the Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology at Newcastle University (UK), where he worked as Professor of Bacterial Biochemistry on various bacterial cell wall topics in a range of different bacteria. Since April 2023 he is Professorial Research Fellow and Group Leader at the Centre for Superbug Solutions, Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) at the University of Queensland.

Availability

Professor Waldemar Vollmer is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Research impacts

Professor Vollmer's basic research on the bacterial cell envelope has led to key advances in our understanding of bacterial cell function and has discovered molecular mechanisms that can be exploited for antibiotic development.

Key research outputs: Prof Vollmer's group has discovered mechanisms of PG biosynthesis and its regulation, novel cell wall enzymes, and mechanisms of coordination between PG synthesis and outer membrane biogenesis. These discoveries provided the first molecular insights into how bacteria robustly maintain, enlarge and modify their cell envelope when they propagate in diverse environments and under stress conditions, and when exposed to antibiotics.

Key capabilities: Prof Vollmer's group is expert in the analysis of the composition of peptidoglycan, the key shape-maintaining and stress-bearing component of the bacterial cell envelope. They also discover new cell wall enzymes and study the activities and interactions of of key cell wall synthases and hydrolases (lysins or autolysins). They are also expert in determining the cleavage site of cell wall-degrading lysins and establishing biochemical assays for cell wall enzymes, for studying their inhibition by antibiotics. They combine their molecular biology work with studies on the physiology of bacterial cells impaired in cell wall biogenesis.

Works

Search Professor Waldemar Vollmer’s works on UQ eSpace

241 works between 1993 and 2024

1 - 20 of 241 works

Featured

2022

Journal Article

Peptidoglycan maturation controls outer membrane protein assembly

Mamou, Gideon, Corona, Federico, Cohen-Khait, Ruth, Housden, Nicholas G., Yeung, Vivian, Sun, Dawei, Sridhar, Pooja, Pazos, Manuel, Knowles, Timothy J., Kleanthous, Colin and Vollmer, Waldemar (2022). Peptidoglycan maturation controls outer membrane protein assembly. Nature, 606 (7916), 953-959. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04834-7

Peptidoglycan maturation controls outer membrane protein assembly

Featured

2021

Journal Article

Real-time monitoring of peptidoglycan synthesis by membrane-reconstituted penicillin-binding proteins

Hernandez-Rocamora, Victor M., Baranova, Natalia, Peters, Katharina, Breukink, Eefjan, Loose, Martin and Vollmer, Waldemar (2021). Real-time monitoring of peptidoglycan synthesis by membrane-reconstituted penicillin-binding proteins. eLife, 10, 1-32. doi: 10.7554/eLife.61525

Real-time monitoring of peptidoglycan synthesis by membrane-reconstituted penicillin-binding proteins

Featured

2020

Journal Article

Regulation of peptidoglycan synthesis and remodelling

Egan, Alexander J. F., Errington, Jeff and Vollmer, Waldemar (2020). Regulation of peptidoglycan synthesis and remodelling. Nature Reviews. Microbiology, 18 (8), 446-460. doi: 10.1038/s41579-020-0366-3

Regulation of peptidoglycan synthesis and remodelling

Featured

2020

Journal Article

Outer membrane lipoprotein NlpI scaffolds peptidoglycan hydrolases within multi-enzyme complexes in Escherichia coli

Banzhaf, Manuel, Yau, Hamish C. L., Verheul, Jolanda, Lodge, Adam, Kritikos, George, Mateus, Andre, Cordier, Baptiste, Hov, Ann Kristin, Stein, Frank, Wartel, Morgane, Pazos, Manuel, Solovyova, Alexandra S., Breukink, Eefjan, van Teeffelen, Sven, Savitski, Mikhail M., den Blaauwen, Tanneke, Typas, Athanasios and Vollmer, Waldemar (2020). Outer membrane lipoprotein NlpI scaffolds peptidoglycan hydrolases within multi-enzyme complexes in Escherichia coli. The EMBO Journal, 39 (5) e102246, 1-20. doi: 10.15252/embj.2019102246

Outer membrane lipoprotein NlpI scaffolds peptidoglycan hydrolases within multi-enzyme complexes in Escherichia coli

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Z-ring membrane anchors associate with cell wall synthases to initiate bacterial cell division

Pazos, Manuel, Peters, Katharina, Casanova, Mercedes, Palacios, Pilar, VanNieuwenhze, Michael, Breukink, Eefjan, Vicente, Miguel and Vollmer, Waldemar (2018). Z-ring membrane anchors associate with cell wall synthases to initiate bacterial cell division. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 5090, 5090. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07559-2

Z-ring membrane anchors associate with cell wall synthases to initiate bacterial cell division

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Copper inhibits peptidoglycan LD-transpeptidases suppressing beta-lactam resistance due to bypass of penicillin-binding proteins

Peters, Katharina, Pazos, Manuel, Edoo, Zainab, Hugonnet, Jean-Emmanuel, Martorana, Alessandra M., Polissi, Alessandra, VanNieuwenhze, Michael S., Arthur, Michel and Vollmer, Waldemar (2018). Copper inhibits peptidoglycan LD-transpeptidases suppressing beta-lactam resistance due to bypass of penicillin-binding proteins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115 (42), 10786-10791. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1809285115

Copper inhibits peptidoglycan LD-transpeptidases suppressing beta-lactam resistance due to bypass of penicillin-binding proteins

Featured

2015

Journal Article

Coordination of peptidoglycan synthesis and outer membrane constriction during Escherichia coli cell division

Gray, Andrew N., Egan, Alexander J. F., van't Veer, Inge L., Verheul, Jolanda, Colavin, Alexandre, Koumoutsi, Alexandra, Biboy, Jacob, Altelaar, A. F. Maarten, Damen, Mirjam J., Huang, Kerwyn Casey, Simorre, Jean-Pierre, Breukink, Eefjan, den Blaauwen, Tanneke, Typas, Athanasios, Gross, Carol A. and Vollmer, Waldemar (2015). Coordination of peptidoglycan synthesis and outer membrane constriction during Escherichia coli cell division. Elife, 4 e07118. doi: 10.7554/eLife.07118

Coordination of peptidoglycan synthesis and outer membrane constriction during Escherichia coli cell division

Featured

2014

Journal Article

Outer-membrane lipoprotein LpoB spans the periplasm to stimulate the peptidoglycan synthase PBP1B

Egan, Alexander J. F., Jean, Nicolas L., Koumoutsi, Alexandra, Bougault, Catherine M., Biboy, Jacob, Sassine, Jad, Solovyova, Alexandra S., Breukink, Eefjan, Typas, Athanasios, Vollmer, Waldemar and Simorre, Jean-Pierre (2014). Outer-membrane lipoprotein LpoB spans the periplasm to stimulate the peptidoglycan synthase PBP1B. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111 (22), 8197-8202. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1400376111

Outer-membrane lipoprotein LpoB spans the periplasm to stimulate the peptidoglycan synthase PBP1B

Featured

2010

Journal Article

Regulation of Peptidoglycan Synthesis by Outer-Membrane Proteins

Typas, Athanasios, Banzhaf, Manuel, van Saparoea, Bart van den Berg, Verheul, Jolanda, Biboy, Jacob, Nichols, Robert J., Zietek, Matylda, Beilharz, Katrin, Kannenberg, Kai, von Rechenberg, Moritz, Breukink, Eefjan, den Blaauwen, Tanneke, Gross, Carol A. and Vollmer, Waldemar (2010). Regulation of Peptidoglycan Synthesis by Outer-Membrane Proteins. Cell, 143 (7), 1097-1109. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2010.11.038

Regulation of Peptidoglycan Synthesis by Outer-Membrane Proteins

2024

Journal Article

An outer membrane porin-lipoprotein complex modulates elongasome movement to establish cell curvature in Rhodospirillum rubrum

Pöhl, Sebastian, Giacomelli, Giacomo, Meyer, Fabian M., Kleeberg, Volker, Cohen, Eli J., Biboy, Jacob, Rosum, Julia, Glatter, Timo, Vollmer, Waldemar, van Teeseling, Muriel C. F., Heider, Johann, Bramkamp, Marc and Thanbichler, Martin (2024). An outer membrane porin-lipoprotein complex modulates elongasome movement to establish cell curvature in Rhodospirillum rubrum. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 7616. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51790-z

An outer membrane porin-lipoprotein complex modulates elongasome movement to establish cell curvature in Rhodospirillum rubrum

2024

Journal Article

Cell division cycle fluctuation of Pal concentration in Escherichia coli

Mertens, Laureen M.Y., Liu, Xinwei, Verheul, Jolanda, Egan, Alexander J.F., Vollmer, Waldemar and den Blaauwen, Tanneke (2024). Cell division cycle fluctuation of Pal concentration in Escherichia coli. Access Microbiology, 6 (11). doi: 10.1099/acmi.0.000759.v3

Cell division cycle fluctuation of Pal concentration in Escherichia coli

2024

Journal Article

Peptidoglycan Endopeptidase <scp>PBP7</scp> Facilitates the Recruitment of <scp>FtsN</scp> to the Divisome and Promotes Peptidoglycan Synthesis in <i>Escherichia coli</i>

Liu, Xinwei, Boelter, Gabriela, Vollmer, Waldemar, Banzhaf, Manuel and den Blaauwen, Tanneke (2024). Peptidoglycan Endopeptidase PBP7 Facilitates the Recruitment of FtsN to the Divisome and Promotes Peptidoglycan Synthesis in Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology, 122 (5), 743-756. doi: 10.1111/mmi.15321

Peptidoglycan Endopeptidase <scp>PBP7</scp> Facilitates the Recruitment of <scp>FtsN</scp> to the Divisome and Promotes Peptidoglycan Synthesis in <i>Escherichia coli</i>

2024

Journal Article

Staphylococcus aureus stress response to bicarbonate depletion

Liberini, Elisa, Fan, Sook-Ha, Bayer, Arnold S., Beck, Christian, Biboy, Jacob, François, Patrice, Gray, Joe, Hipp, Katharina, Koch, Iris, Peschel, Andreas, Sailer, Brigitte, Vollmer, Daniela, Vollmer, Waldemar and Götz, Friedrich (2024). Staphylococcus aureus stress response to bicarbonate depletion. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25 (17) 9251. doi: 10.3390/ijms25179251

Staphylococcus aureus stress response to bicarbonate depletion

2024

Journal Article

A Review of Antibacterial Candidates with New Modes of Action

Butler, Mark S., Vollmer, Waldemar, Goodall, Emily C. A., Capon, Robert J., Henderson, Ian R. and Blaskovich, Mark A. T. (2024). A Review of Antibacterial Candidates with New Modes of Action. ACS Infectious Diseases, 10 (10), 3440-3474. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00218

A Review of Antibacterial Candidates with New Modes of Action

2024

Journal Article

Correction: A dynamic bactofilin cytoskeleton cooperates with an M23 endopeptidase to control bacterial morphogenesis

Pöhl, Sebastian, Osorio-Valeriano, Manuel, Cserti, Emöke, Harberding, Jannik, Hernandez-Tamayo, Rogelio, Biboy, Jacob, Sobetzko, Patrick, Vollmer, Waldemar, Graumann, Peter L and Thanbichler, Martin (2024). Correction: A dynamic bactofilin cytoskeleton cooperates with an M23 endopeptidase to control bacterial morphogenesis. eLife, 13. doi: 10.7554/elife.101019

Correction: A dynamic bactofilin cytoskeleton cooperates with an M23 endopeptidase to control bacterial morphogenesis

2024

Journal Article

Cleavage of an engulfment peptidoglycan hydrolase by a sporulation signature protease in Clostridioides difficile

Martins, Diogo, Nerber, Hailee N., Roughton, Charlotte G., Fasquelle, Amaury, Barwinska‐Sendra, Anna, Vollmer, Daniela, Gray, Joe, Vollmer, Waldemar, Sorg, Joseph A., Salgado, Paula S., Henriques, Adriano O. and Serrano, Mónica (2024). Cleavage of an engulfment peptidoglycan hydrolase by a sporulation signature protease in Clostridioides difficile. Molecular Microbiology, 122 (2), 213-229. doi: 10.1111/mmi.15291

Cleavage of an engulfment peptidoglycan hydrolase by a sporulation signature protease in Clostridioides difficile

2024

Journal Article

PBP-A, a cyanobacterial dd-peptidase with high specificity for amidated muropeptides, exhibits pH-dependent promiscuous activity harmful to Escherichia coli

Dorrazehi, Gol Mohammad, Winkle, Matthias, Desmet, Martin, Stroobant, Vincent, Tanriver, Gamze, Degand, Hervé, Evrard, Damien, Desguin, Benoît, Morsomme, Pierre, Biboy, Jacob, Gray, Joe, Mitusińska, Karolina, Góra, Artur, Vollmer, Waldemar and Soumillion, Patrice (2024). PBP-A, a cyanobacterial dd-peptidase with high specificity for amidated muropeptides, exhibits pH-dependent promiscuous activity harmful to Escherichia coli. Scientific Reports, 14 (1) 13999. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-64806-x

PBP-A, a cyanobacterial dd-peptidase with high specificity for amidated muropeptides, exhibits pH-dependent promiscuous activity harmful to Escherichia coli

2024

Journal Article

Reduced peptidoglycan synthesis capacity impairs growth of <i>E. coli</i> at high salt concentration

Alodaini, Dema, Hernandez-Rocamora, Victor, Boelter, Gabriela, Ma, Xuyu, Alao, Micheal B., Doherty, Hannah M., Bryant, Jack A., Moynihan, Patrick, Moradigaravand, Danesh, Glinkowska, Monika, Vollmer, Waldemar and Banzhaf, Manuel (2024). Reduced peptidoglycan synthesis capacity impairs growth of E. coli at high salt concentration. mBio, 15 (4), e0032524. doi: 10.1128/mbio.00325-24

Reduced peptidoglycan synthesis capacity impairs growth of <i>E. coli</i> at high salt concentration

2024

Book Chapter

Monitoring the interaction of the peptidoglycan with the bacterial β-barrel assembly machinery

Corona, Federico and Vollmer, Waldemar (2024). Monitoring the interaction of the peptidoglycan with the bacterial β-barrel assembly machinery. Transmembrane β-barrel proteins: methods and protocols. (pp. 159-183) edited by Raffaele Ieva. New York, NY, United States: Humana. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3734-0_11

Monitoring the interaction of the peptidoglycan with the bacterial β-barrel assembly machinery

2024

Journal Article

Peptidoglycan-Targeted [<sup>18</sup>F]3,3,3-Trifluoro-<scp>d</scp>-alanine Tracer for Imaging Bacterial Infection

Sorlin, Alexandre M., López-Álvarez, Marina, Biboy, Jacob, Gray, Joe, Rabbitt, Sarah J., Rahim, Junaid Ur, Lee, Sang Hee, Bobba, Kondapa Naidu, Blecha, Joseph, Parker, Mathew F.L., Flavell, Robert R., Engel, Joanne, Ohliger, Michael, Vollmer, Waldemar and Wilson, David M. (2024). Peptidoglycan-Targeted [18F]3,3,3-Trifluoro-d-alanine Tracer for Imaging Bacterial Infection. JACS Au, 4 (3), 1039-1047. doi: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00776

Peptidoglycan-Targeted [<sup>18</sup>F]3,3,3-Trifluoro-<scp>d</scp>-alanine Tracer for Imaging Bacterial Infection

Supervision

Availability

Professor Waldemar Vollmer is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Targeting bacterial cell envelope coordination for antibiotic drug discovery

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Brett Collins

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Novel assays for antibiotic discovery

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Rob Capon

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Dissecting the bacterial cell envelope for antibiotic drug discovery

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicholas Ariotti, Professor Rob Capon

Media

Enquiries

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