Our research topics are the role of mitochondria and mitochondrial ROS as drug targets and in toxicological mechanisms. Recent research activities focused on the one hand on the involvement of mitochondria as drug targets in protozoal and cancer cells. On the other hand, our latest research activities have shown that endoperoxides can be useful antileishmanial drugs in vitro and in vivo. A current project is elucidating the mechanism why these endoperoxides are more toxic to protozoal parasites than to mammalian host cells, such as macrophages. As a part of these research activities, we study the conditions under which xenobiotics trigger ROS formation and inhibition of mitochondrial electron transfer in mammalian and leishmanial mitochondria, since these are essential elements of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Our research activities revealed that mitochondria are often involved in the action of antiprotozoal and anticancer drugs, however, not always being a direct pharmacological target. Current results on endoperoxides demonstrate that this compound group may have potential as antiprotozoal drug.  

The ESR spectroscopy was already employed in our lab for following applications: 

• Detection of oxygen radicals in cell culture models 
• Detection of vitamin c radicals, transferrin, ceruloplasmin and NO (EDRF) in blood and plasma 
• Characterization of mitochondrial electron carriers 
• Measurement of membrane fluidity of lipid membranes including Leishmania 
• Elucidation of cytostatic transition metal complexes 
• Radical formation by asbestos related fibres 
• Detection of radicals during the decomposition of endoperoxides in Leishmania  

Other possible applications are the detection of irradiated food, aging of beer, monitoring of mineral oil degradation, antioxidant properties of food and many other fields.