Research in the Schneider Group

Research Group Schneider – Mechanistic Antibiotic Research and Bacterial Cell Envelope Biology

Antimicrobial resistance represents one of the greatest threats to global health, demanding innovative concepts for the discovery of future antibacterial therapies. The Schneider Research Group investigates the bacterial cell envelope as a central hub of bacterial physiology and one of the most attractive targets for antibiotic intervention. Our research seeks to uncover the molecular principles governing cell envelope biogenesis, organization and adaptation and to translate this knowledge into novel therapeutic strategies against multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens.

A major focus of our work is the discovery and mechanistic characterization of antibacterial compounds, with particular emphasis on antibacterial natural products as a rich source of unexplored chemical diversity and novel mechanisms of action. We aim to identify molecular drug targets, elucidate the mechanisms underlying antibiotic activity, resistance and tolerance, and reveal previously unrecognized vulnerabilities within the bacterial cell envelope. Beyond individual targets, we seek to understand how essential cellular pathways are functionally connected and integrated into the complex regulatory network that governs bacterial growth and survival.

A hallmark of our laboratory is the development of an integrated Mode-of-Action and Target Deconvolution Platform with the German Center of Infection Research (DZIF), which combines complementary whole-cell, genetic and biochemical approaches to systematically unravel the molecular mechanisms of antibacterial compounds. By integrating bacterial reporter systems, target-based biochemical assays, ligand-binding analyses, resistance genetics and functional characterization of essential cell envelope pathways, we bridge phenotypic antibiotic discovery with molecular target identification and mechanistic validation. Together, these technologies establish a comprehensive platform that enables the transition from antibacterial activity to molecular mechanism and supports both fundamental research and antibiotic discovery through numerous national and international collaborations.

Ultimately, our research bridges fundamental bacterial cell biology with translational antibiotic research, providing the mechanistic foundation for the rational development of next-generation antibacterial therapies.

Research Areas

• Molecular mechanisms of action of antibiotics and antibacterial natural products
• Mode-of-action profiling and target deconvolution
• Discovery, validation and mechanistic characterization of novel antibacterial targets
• Antibiotic resistance, tolerance and adaptive stress responses
• Analyses of antibiotic activity networks
• Development of integrated whole-cell, biochemical and biophysical discovery platforms
• Biosynthesis, regulation and functional organization of the bacterial cell envelope
• Peptidoglycan, wall teichoic acid, capsule and lipid carrier metabolism
• Cell envelope biogenesis and regulation in Gram-positive pathogens, particularly Staphylococcus aureus
• Translation of mechanistic discoveries into innovative anti-infective therapies