During his studies, Peng Xu developed peptide inhibitors targeting two serine proteases, urokinase and plasma kallikrein. Unregulated activity of both has been implicated in serious diseases, including cancer and heretidary angioedema. Using a variety of biochemical and biophysical methods, Peng Xu developed inhibitors with high affinity as well as high specificity for the respective enzymes and provided an in depth understanding of their inhibitory mechanism. Peng Xu also chemically modified the peptides, thus preparing them for testing in in vivo disease models. Peng Xu work in this PhD programme resulted in 4 scientific articles, among which he is the first author of two.

The PhD degree was completed at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Aarhus University.

This résumé is prepared by the PhD student.
Time: Friday 11 September 2015 at 9.00.
Place: Meeting room 5, Building 3140, room 110, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of dissertation: Intervention with Serine Protease Activity with Small Peptides
Contact information: Peng Xu, e-mail: pengxu@mbg.au.dk, tel.: +45 50 19 90 89
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Vincent Ellis, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Group Leader Niels Behrendt, Finsen Laboratory, Biotechnological Research and Innovation Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
Associate Professor Anni Hangaard Andersen (chair), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Main supervisor:
Professor Peter A. Andreasen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University.
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English.

The defence is public.
The dissertation is available for reading at the Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, room 112, 8000 Aarhus C.