Tanja Weil

Tanja Weil

@weilgroup.bsky.social

Posts by Division of Synthesis of Macromolecules @mpip-mainz.mpg.de | JACS Associate Editor Striving for equality, diversity and representation in all aspects. https://www.mpip-mainz.mpg.de/en/weil

383 followers243 following41 posts

Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

A truly wonderful event! Thank you to everyone involved in the organization, all the speakers and all participants for making this symposium such a memorable experience! @beilstein-institut.bsky.social @mpip-mainz.mpg.de

Beilstein-Institut@beilstein-institut.bsky.social

The 📷 photo gallery of the Beilstein Organic Chemistry Symposium “Designing dynamic matter: Frontiers in supramolecular systems” is online ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/5n955x5u Thanks to all our speakers and participants for making #BeilsteinDesigningMatter2026 an amazing event! @weilgroup.bsky.social

Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Yesterday, we were delighted to host Prof. Guosong Chen and Associate Prof. Long Li from Fudan University at MPIP. We sincerely thank Prof. Chen for sharing fascinating insights into the non-covalent synthesis of saccharide-based macromolecules and their bioapplications! @mpip-mainz.mpg.de

Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Looking forward to presenting at the ACS150 JACS Symposium Series: IACS Kolkata. I’ll be sharing insights from my research in my talk titled “From Molecular Design to Material–Cell Communication”. 📍 Kolkata, India | 📅 1 July 🔗 Find out more about this event: shorturl.at/SbPvF

pubs.acs.orgACS150 JACS Symposium Series: IACS KolkataJoin leading chemists, researchers, and journal editors in Kolkata, India, as we celebrate 150 years of the American Chemical Society, chemical discovery, and explore the future of scientific collabor...
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Excited to co-organize the Beilstein Symposium “Designing Dynamic Matter – Frontiers in Supramolecular Systems”! Join the livestream to explore how supramolecular design enables synthetic cells, molecular machines, adaptive biomaterials & much more! #BeilsteinDesigningMatter2026 @mpip-mainz.mpg.de

Beilstein-Institut@beilstein-institut.bsky.social

You are cordially invited to join the FREE livestream 🎬 of the Beilstein Organic Chemistry Symposium “Designing dynamic matter: Frontiers in supramolecular systems” in Rüdesheim, Germany. 📅 May 5–7, 2026 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/4dumwbnu #BeilsteinDesigningMatter2026  @weilgroup.bsky.social

Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Congratulations to Bellinda on her successful PhD defence! One key development in the multidisciplinary work is to use modular design to improve biomacromolecular therapeutics, as well as gain better understanding of the impact of ligand density on a nanocarrier.

Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

More great news for the holidays🎄 Our new review on "Functionalizing Nucleic Acids: Synthesis and Purification Strategies for Bioconjugates as Biomaterials" is out: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... Many thanks to Nico Alleva, Jian Zhang and Torsten John!

onlinelibrary.wiley.comFunctionalizing Nucleic Acids: Synthesis and Purification Strategies for Bioconjugates as BiomaterialsNucleic acid-ligand conjugates combine the distinct properties of macromolecular ligands with the versatility of DNA/RNA nanotechnology. In biomaterial and nanomedicine applications, highly purified ...
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Great news for the holidays🎄 Our new paper is out in @jacs.acspublications.org pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/... Thanks to Lifan Hu from @seahling.bsky.social's team, all co-workers & our wonderful collaborator Stephen Mann!

pubs.acs.orgBioactive Artificial Cells as Autonomous Metabolic Actuators Enable Bidirectional Communication with Tumor CellsArtificial cells (ACs) offer a powerful platform to reprogram metabolic signaling in complex tissue environments by replicating key biological functions without the full complexity of living cells. However, achieving autonomous metabolite exchange and stable integration with living tissues remains a major challenge. Here, we report the development of proteinosome-based ACs equipped with a minimal metabolism to mediate bidirectional communication with glycolytic tumor cells. These tumors accumulate lactate, a metabolic byproduct that promotes immunosuppression and metastasis. Although lactate oxidase (LOx) can degrade lactate, its oxidation product, pyruvate, may inadvertently fuel tumor growth. To overcome this limitation, we engineered dual-processor ACs coencapsulating LOx and pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), enabling selective conversion of lactate into cytotoxic acetaldehyde while suppressing pyruvate and hydrogen peroxide accumulation. These ACs demonstrate sustained catalytic activity, maintain reactive oxygen species homeostasis, and remain functional when integrated in 3D tumor spheroids. Crucially, they engage in autonomous, bidirectional metabolite exchange, preferentially with cancer cells over normal cells, dynamically rewiring important metabolites of the tumor microenvironment and suppressing cell viability. This work establishes synthetic metabolic biointerfaces as programmable actuators capable of reshaping pathological signaling in cancer tissues.
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Early Christmas Present #3! 🎁 Our paper "Single-Cell Hyperthermia: Diamond Quantum Thermometry Reveals Thermal Control of Macrophage Polarization" was just published in Advanced Materials: advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... Many thanks to Kaiqi Wu, our whole team & our collaborators!

advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.comSingle‐Cell Hyperthermia: Diamond Quantum Thermometry Reveals Thermal Control of Macrophage PolarizationPhotothermal nanodiamonds with quantum sensing capabilities generate lysosome-confined hyperthermia, enabling simultaneous temperature and radical detection via diamond sensing. This localized therma...
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Early Christmas present #2! 🎁 Our new paper “Co-Assemblies Regulate the Catalytic Activity of Peptide Fibrils” is out in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... Big thanks to Albin Lahu, our fantastic team, and all collaborators who made this possible!

onlinelibrary.wiley.comCo‐Assemblies Regulate the Catalytic Activity of Peptide FibrilsCatalytic self-assembling peptides (cSAPs) form fibrils that catalyze the retro-aldol reaction of Methodol. Co-assembly with inactive peptides tunes catalytic efficiency by altering substrate accessi...
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Congratulations on your wonderful work and your excellent defense, Qi🎉👏

Qi Lu@qi-lu.bsky.social

I’m happy to share that I’ve successfully defended my PhD and graduated magna cum laude. My deepest thanks to Prof. Tanja Weil for her guidance and support, and to Dr. Yingke Wu for invaluable mentorship throughout my research. @weilgroup.bsky.social @yingkewu.bsky.social @mpip-mainz.mpg.de

Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Warmest congratulations to my JACS editor colleague Omar Yaghi on receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025! I also congratulate the laureates Susumu Kitagawa and Richard Robson. Their work on metal–organic frameworks has opened new horizons in chemistry. www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemi...

nobelprize.orgNobel Prize in Chemistry 2025The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 was awarded jointly to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi "for the development of metal–organic frameworks"
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

This is a fantastic opportunity for students who want to pursue an integrated MSc/PhD Program! Our group is currently hosting two excellent Matter to Life students and we can only recommend this program! @mattertolife.bsky.social

Max Planck School Matter to Life@mattertolife.bsky.social

Integrated MSc/PhD Graduate Program applications are now open! mattertolife.maxplanckschools.org/application Get an impression about our program and science: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ni1.... Apply now and become part of our vibrant student body. Spread the word!

youtube.comExplore your passion for science with Matter to Life!The Max Planck School Matter to Life (MPS MtL) offers a unique interdisciplinary Master to PhD Direct track program, aimed at understanding the fundamental principles of life and exploring new ways…
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Wonderful Symposium! Thank you so much for the great organization by @giulialavarda.bsky.social. It was great to spend time with our wonderful guests from @tue.nl and @unimainz.bsky.social @mpip-mainz.mpg.de

Giulia Lavarda@giulialavarda.bsky.social

Great talks and discussions at yesterday’s MPIP-JGU-TUe Mini Symposium hosted by @weilgroup.bsky.social at @mpip-mainz.mpg.de with colleagues from @tue.nl and @unimainz.bsky.social It was a pleasure to bring our communities together for a day of science and exchange!

Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

The new science outreach chapter highlights the unsung contributions of polymers to everyday life. Honored to be part of this meaningful project and many thanks to the brilliant team who made this possible! #ScienceCommunication #Polymers #Teamwork

SFB 1551 - Collaborative Research Centre 1551@sfb1551.bsky.social

✨ Polymers: The Hidden Heroes of Life ✨ Thrilled to share that our science outreach chapter has just been published in the Springer Series "Science for a Better Tomorrow"! A true example of how collaboration and curiosity can drive meaningful science communication! link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

link.springer.comScience for a Better TomorrowThis book explores how biosciences, AI, and IT can innovate biomedicine and health, expanding on the discussion held at the Curious2024 Conference.
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

We developed an AND-gated chemiluminescent photosensitizer that only generates light inside tumor cells, activating under 2 cancer cell-specific conditions. Many thanks to Wenwu Peng @pengww.bsky.social from Seah Ling Kuan's group @seahling.bsky.social & our collaborators! shorturl.at/uXTg3

pubs.acs.orgAutonomous Activation of a Gated Chemiluminescent Photosensitizer Enables Targeted Photodynamic Therapy in Tumor CellsChemiluminescence-based photodynamic therapy (CLPDT) offers a promising solution to the light penetration limits of traditional PDT. However, it lacks spatiotemporal control. Intracellularly activated...
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Weil group goes Teufelsschlucht! 🏞️🦕 Braving the heat and having an amazing time on our group retreat with a paleontology crash course and a scenic hike through the woods with team-building games! #Teufelsschlucht #ScienceAndNature #GroupRetreat

Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Congratulations, Kübra! 🎉 Well-deserved for your excellent research work!

Kübra Kaygisiz@kubrakaygisiz.bsky.social

I am very excited and feel honored for receiving the Otto Hahn Medal! Many thanks to my mentor Tanja Weil @weilgroup.bsky.social for her great and continuous support over the years!

Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Our team has just published exciting work on intracellular peptide assembly to induce mitochondrial dysfunction & cell death in both 2D cell culture and 3D tumor spheroids. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this project! advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... @mpip-mainz.mpg.de

advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.comIntracellular Formation of Synthetic Peptide Nanostructures Causes Mitochondrial Disruption and Cell Death in Tumor SpheroidsSynthetic peptide nanostructures, formed within cancer cells in response to glutathione, lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. The nanostructures significantly damage mitochondrial networ...
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Our collaborative project on a trimannose-HSA nanocarrier designed for active targeting to immune cells and liver is published! Thank you to an amazing team and our collaborators within the @dfg.de-funded CRC1066! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @seahling.bsky.social @mpip-mainz.mpg.de

sciencedirect.comGlycogen-inspired trimannosylated serum albumin nanocarriers for targeted delivery of toll-like receptor 7/8 agonists to immune cells and liverNanocarriers can improve the therapeutic efficiency of small molecule immunomodulators or inhibitors, which is important for immunotherapy of liver di…
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Our article "Chemical Reactions in Living Systems", published in Advanced Science in 2023, is a #TopViewedArticle. Delighted that it is well-received by the community. advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... @wiley.com

advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.comChemical Reactions in Living SystemsReactions are often carried out in a controlled laboratory environment using purified chemicals, but in recent years, there has been a shift to carrying out reactions directly in living organisms, kn...
Tanja Weil
@weilgroup.bsky.social

Thrilled to share our newest paper by Yong Ren from the group of David Ng in Nature Synthesis, exploring light-controlled intracellular peptide assembly! @mpip-mainz.mpg.de

Nature Synthesis@natsynth.nature.com

Now online & open-access: Article by Yong Ren, David Y. W. Ng, Tanja Weil & co-workers Intracellular assembly of supramolecular peptide nanostructures controlled by visible light www.nature.com/articles/s44... #ChemSky

nature.comIntracellular assembly of supramolecular peptide nanostructures controlled by visible light - Nature SynthesisSpatiotemporal control over the assembly of intracellular peptide nanofibres using visible light is reported. The photolysis-promoted monomer generation correlates the structure formation kinetics to ...

You are up to date.