Helmholtz Munich

Deputy Director of Research Unit Analytical Biogeochemistry, Group leader "Elements and Element Speciation", Head of Central Inorganic Analysis Platform at Helmholtz Munich

+49 89 3187 4206 Email meBuilding/Room: 22 / 117

"I like to open up innovative ways in diagnosis and therapy of common diseases by applying sophisticated analytical chemistry methods."

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Academic Career and Research Areas

Bernhard Michalke research interest encompass metallomics and speciation projects related to health with a specific focus on element speciation combined with metabolomics related to neurodegenerative diseases. Particular goal of his research is the identification of metallo-metabolites acting on a molecular level as key-triggers for induction of the pathogenesis of common diseases. His patented CE-ICP-DRC-MS method allows measuring molecular shifts in the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ redox metabolism, and additionally - in the further cellular metabolic downstream - the shifts in the GSH/GSSG balance as oxidative stress marker and the associated reduction in the GPX4. This method substantially supports disease diagnoses at the molecular level and additionally can identify parameters that can be used for therapy.

Bernhard Michalke received his degree in Biological Sciences in 1985 and his PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) in 1988 from the Technical University of Munich. Since 1988 he is PI at the Trace Elements group (now Element and Element Speciation group) at Helmholtz Munich. In 1996 he additionally started as lecturer at the Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry of the Technical University Graz, where he received his habilitation (Dr. habil.) in 1999 and became Professor for Analytical Chemistry in 2009.

Bernhard authored more than 290 peer-reviewed papers, several book chapters and edited books on speciation techniques in metallomics and selenium.

Fields of Work and Expertise

MetallomicsInstrumental Analysis Analytical ChemistryNeurodegeneration Research

“A milestone in my career was the patenting of a method for the simultaneous quantification of Fe2+/Fe3+ ratio and oxidative stress markers.”

Professional Background

2007 - 2016

President of the Federation of European Societies on Trace Elements and Minerals

2004 - 2016

President of the German Society of Minerals and Trace Elements

Since 2012

Member of DFG Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area

Since 2012

Deputy Director of the Research Unit Analytical Biogeochemistry at Helmholtz Munich

Since 2011

Member of Expert Group “Human Biomonitoring” of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety

Since 2009

Professor for Analytical Chemistry at the Technical University Graz

Since 2007

Member of DFG-Expert Group “Assessment Values in Biological Material” and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Since 2005

Member of DFG-Expert Group “Biomonitoring”

Michalke, B. (2022)

Review about Powerful Combinations of Advanced and Hyphenated Sample Introduction Techniques with Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for Elucidating Trace Element Species in Pathologic Conditions on a Molecular Level.

Alborzy, H., Chen, Z., Yildiz, U., Porto-Freitas, F., Vogel, F. C., Varga, J., ... & Angeli, J. P. F. (2022)

Selenocysteine metabolism is a targetable vulnerability in MYCN-amplified cancers.

Charlebois, E., Fillebeen, C., Katsarou, A., Rabinovich, A., Wisniewski, K., Venkataramani, V., ... & Pantopoulos, K. (2021)

A crosstalk between hepcidin and IRE/IRP pathways controls ferroportin expression and determines serum iron levels in mice.

Borchard, S., Raschke, S., Zak, K. M., Eberhagen, C., Einer, C., Weber, E., ... & Zischka, H. (2022)

Bis-choline tetrathiomolybdate prevents copper-induced blood–brain barrier damage.

Michalke, B., Berthele, A., & Venkataramani, V. (2021)

Simultaneous Quantification and Speciation of Trace Metals in Paired Serum and CSF Samples by Size Exclusion Chromatography–Inductively Coupled Plasma–Dynamic Reaction Cell–Mass Spectrometry (SEC-DRC-ICP-MS).

Vara‐Pérez, M., Rossi, M., Van den Haute, C., Maes, H., Sassano, M. L., Venkataramani, V., ... & Agostinis, P. (2021)

BNIP3 promotes HIF‐1α‐driven melanoma growth by curbing intracellular iron homeostasis.

Solovyev, N., Drobyshev, E., Blume, B., & Michalke, B. (2021)

Selenium at the neural barriers: a review.

Bernhard Michalke in der Sternwarte Wind

Kolpings Observatory Wind

Bernhard is co-founder and active guide at the private Kolpings Observatory Wind.

"I am impressed by the multitude of stars that can be observed on a clear, dark night. I am particularly fascinated by the consideration of how often it was possible to develop life in the universe and probably also took place, even though the distances to it are unimaginably large."

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