Morten Bøhmer Strøm
Professor, Vice-dean Research and Innovation
Job description
Morten B. Strøm is Vice-dean Research and Innovation at the Faculty of Health Sciences. He is a professor in medicinal chemistry at the Department of Pharmacy, Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Research Group. His research involves development of peptides and peptidomimetics with activity against resistant bacteria and with activity against cancer cells. Together with other research groups at UiT we are studying how these molecules can be developed into future drug candidates and drug formulations. This has given important experience with innovation, patents, and commercialization.
Professor at the Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Research Group.
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Publications outside Cristin
List of publications
- Strøm, M. B.; Rekdal, Ø.; Svendsen, J. S., Antibacterial activity of 15-residue lactoferricin derivatives. J. Peptide Res. 2000, 56, 265-274.
- Lejon, T.; Strøm, M. B.; Svendsen, J. S., Antibiotic activity of pentadecapeptides modelled from amino acid descriptors. J. Peptide Sci. 2001, 7, 74-81.
- Lejon, T.; Strøm, M. B.; Svendsen, J. S., Is information about peptide sequence necessary in multivariate analysis? Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems 2001, 57, 93-95.
- Strøm, M. B.; Rekdal, Ø.; Stensen, W.; Svendsen, J. S., Increased antibacterial activity of 15-residue murine lactoferricin derivatives. J. Peptide Res. 2001, 57, 127-139.
- Strøm, M. B.; Haug, B. E.; Rekdal, Ø.; Skar, M. L.; Stensen, W.; Svendsen, J. S., Important structural features of 15-residue lactoferricin derivatives and methods for improvement of antimicrobial activity. Biochem Cell Biol. 2002, 80, 65-74.
- Strøm, M. B.; Rekdal, Ø.; Svendsen, J. S., Antimicrobial activity of short arginine- and tryptophan-rich peptides. J. Peptide Sci. 2002, 8, 431-437.
- Strøm, M. B.; Rekdal, Ø.; Svendsen, J. S., The effects of charge and lipophilicity on the antibacterial activity of undecapeptides derived from bovine lactoferricin. J. Peptide Sci. 2002, 8, 36-43.
- Strøm, M. B.; Haug, B. E.; Skar, M. L.; Stensen, W.; Stiberg, T.; Svendsen, J. S., The pharmacophore of short cationic antibacterial peptides. J. Med. Chem. 2003, 46, 1567-1570.
- Lejon, T.; Stiberg, T.; Strøm, M. B.; Svendsen, J. S., Prediction of antibiotic activity and synthesis of new pentadecapeptides based on lactoferricins. J. Peptide Sci. 2004, 10, 329-335.
- Moe, M. K.; Anderssen, T.; Strom, M. B.; Jensen, E., Vicinal hydroxylation of unsaturated fatty acids for structural characterization of intact neutral phospholipids by negative electrospray ionization tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry. Rapid Commun. Mass Spec. 2004, 18, (18), 2121-2130.
- Moe, M. K.; Strom, M. B.; Jensen, E.; Claeys, M., Negative electrospray ionization low-energy tandem mass spectrometry of hydroxylated fatty acids: A mechanistic study. Rapid Commun. Mass Spec. 2004, 18, (15), 1731-1740.
- Yang, N.; Strom, M. B.; Mekonnen, S. M.; Svendsen, J. S.; Rekdal, O., The effects of shortening lactoferrin derived peptides against tumor cells, bacteria and human normal cells. J. Peptide Sci. 2004, 10, (1), 37-46.
- Moe, M. K.; Anderssen, T.; Strøm, M. B.; Jensen, E., Total structure characterization of unsaturated acidic phospholipids provided by vicinal di-hydroxylation of fatty acid double bonds and negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spec. 2005, 16, (1), 46-59.
- Haug, B. E.; Strøm, M. B.; Svendsen, J. S., The medicinal chemistry of short lactoferricin-based antibacterial peptides. Curr. Med. Chem. 2007, 14, (1), 1-18.
- Michelsen, V. B.; Moe, G.; Strøm, M. B.; Jensen, E.; Lygre, H., Quantitative analysis of TEGDMA and HEMA eluted into saliva from two dental composites by use of GC/MS and tailor-made internal standards. Dental Materials 2008, 24, 724-731.
- Tadesse, M.; Gulliksen, B.; Strøm, M. B.; Styrvold, O. B.; Haug, T., Screening for antibacterial and antifungal activities in marine benthic invertebrates from northern Norway. J. Invertebrate Pathology 2008, 99, 286-293.
- Hansen, T.; Alst, T.; Havelkova, M.; Strøm, M. B., Antimicrobial Activity of Small β-Peptidomimetics Based on the Pharmacophore Model of Short Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides. J. Med. Chem. 2010, 53, 595–606.
- Tadesse, M.; Tørfoss, V.; Strøm, M. B.; Hansen, E.; Andersen, J. H.; Stensvåg, K.; Haug, T., Isolation and biological activity of (E)-1-(4-hydroxystyryl)guanidine from the sub-Arctic ascidian, Dendrodoa aggregata. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 2010, 38, 827–829.
- Tadesse, M.; Strøm, M. B.; Svenson, J.; Jaspars, M.; Milne, B. F.; Tørfoss, V.; Andersen, J. H.; Hansen, E.; Stensvåg, K.; Haug, T., Synoxazolidinones A and B: Novel Bioactive Alkaloids from the Ascidian Synoicum pulmonaria, Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 4752-4755.
- Tadesse, M.; Tabudravu, J. N.; Jaspars, M.; Strøm, M. B.; Hansen, E.; Andersen, J. H.; Kristiansen, P. E.,; Haug, T., The antibacterial ent-eusynstyelamide B and eusynstyelamides D, E, and F from the arctic bryozoan Tegella cf. spitzbergensis, J. Nat. Prod. 2011, 74, 837-841.
- Tadesse, M.; Svenson, J.; Jaspars, M.; Strøm, M. B.; Abdelrahman, M. H.; Andersen, J. H.; Hansen, E.; Kristiansen, P. E.; Stensvåg, K.; Haug, T., Synoxazolidinone C; a bicyclic member of the synoxazolidinone family with antibacterial and anticancer activities, Tetrahedron Lett. 2011, 52, 1804-1806.
- Hansen, T.; Ausbacher, D.; Flaten, G. E.; Havelkova, M.; Strøm M. B., Synthesis of cationic antimicrobial β2,2-amino acid derivatives with potential for oral administration, J. Med. Chem. 2011, 54, 858-868.
- Tørfoss, V.; Ausbacher, D.A.; Cavalcanti-Jacobsen, C.deA.; Hansen, T.; Brandsdal, B-.O.; Havelkova, M.; Strøm, M.B. Synthesis of anticancer heptapeptides containing a unique lipophilic β2,2-amino acid building block, J. Peptide Sci. 2012, 18, 170-176.
- Hansen, T.; Moe, M. K.; Anderssen, T.; Strøm, M. B. Metabolism of small antimicrobial β2,2-amino acid derivatives by murine liver microsomes, Eur. J. Drug Metab. Pharmacokinet. 2012, 37,191–201
- Ausbacher, D.; Svineng, G.; Hansen, T.; Strøm, M.B. Anticancer mechanisms of action of two small amphipathic β2,2-amino acid derivatives derived from antimicrobial peptides. Biochim. Biophys. Acta – Biomembranes. 2012, 1818, 2917-2925.
- Tørfoss, V.; Isaksson, J.; Ausbacher, D.; Brandsdal, B-.O.; Flaten, G. E.; Anderssen, T.; Cavalcanti-Jacobsen, C.deA.; Havelkova, M.; Nguyen, L. T.; Vogel, H. J.; Strøm, M.B. Improved anticancer potency by head-to-tail cyclisation of short cationic anticancer peptides containing a lipophilic β2,2-amino acid. J. Peptide Sci. 2012, 18, 609-619.
- Hansen, T.; Ausbacher, D.; Zachariassen, Z.G.; Anderssen, T.; Havelkova, M.; Strøm, M.B. Anticancer activity of small amphipathic β2,2-amino acid derivatives. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2012, 58, 22-29.
- Ausbacher, D.; Fallarero, A.; Kujala, J.; Määttänen, A.; Peltonen, J.; Strøm, M.B.; Vuorela, P.M. Staphylococcus aureus biofilm susceptibility to small and potent β2,2-amino acid derivatives. Biofouling. 2014, 30, 81-93.
- Sivertsen, A.; Tørfoss, V.; Isaksson, J.; Ausbacher, D.; Anderssen, T.; Brandsdal, B-.O;Havelkova, M.; Skjørholm, A.E.; Strøm, M.B. Anticancer potency of small linear and cyclic tetrapeptides and pharmacokinetic investigations of peptide-binding to human serum albumin. J. Peptide Sci. 2014, 20, 279-291.
- Hanski, L.; Ausbacher, D.; Tiirola, T.; Strøm, M.B.; Vuorela, P.M. Amphipathic β2,2-amino acid derivatives suppress infectivity and disrupt the intracellular replication cycle of Chlamydia pneumoniae. PLoS ONE. 2016, 11(6): e0157306. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157306.
- Paulsen, M.H.; Engqvist, M.; Ausbacher, D.; Strøm, M.B.; Bayer, A. Efficient and scalable synthesis of α,α-disubstituted β-amino amides. Org. Biomol. Chem. 2016, 14, 7570-7578.
- Igumnova, E.M.; Mishchenko, E.; Haug, T.; Blencke, H.-M.;Ericson Sollid, J.U.; Fredheim, E.G.Aa.; Lauksund, S.; Stensvåg, K.; Strøm, M.B. Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of small cationic amphipathic aminobenzamide marine natural product mimics and evaluation of relevance against clinical isolates including ESBL-CARBA producing multi-resistant bacteria. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. 2016, 24, 5884-5894.
- Bakka, T.A.; Strøm, M.B.; Andersen, J.H.; Gautun, O.R. Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of cationic low molecular weight amphipathic 1,2,3-triazoles. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 2017, 27, 1119-1123.
- Bakka, T.A.; Strøm, M.B.; Andersen, J.H.; Gautun, O.R. Methyl propiolate and 3-butynone: starting points for synthesis of amphiphilic 1,2,3-triazole peptidomimetics for antimicrobial evaluation. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. 2017, 25, 5380-5395.
- Paulsen, M.H.; Karlsen, E.A.; Ausbacher, D.; Andersen, T.; Bayer, A.; Ochtrop, P.; Hedberg, C.; Haug, T.; Sollid, J.U.E.; Strøm, M.B. An amphipathic cyclic tetrapeptide scaffold containing halogenated beta2,2-amino acids with activity against multi-resistant bacteria. J. Peptide Sci. 2018;24:e3117. DOI: 10.1002/psc.3117
- Igumnova, E.M.; Mishchenko, E.; Haug, T.; Blencke, H.-M.; Sollid, J.U.E.; Aarag Fredheim, E.G.; Lauksund, S.; Stensvåg, K.; Strøm, M.B. Amphipathic sulfonamidobenzamides mimicking small antimicrobial marine natural products; investigation of antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity against antibiotic resistant clinical isolates. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2018, 26, 4930-4941. DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.08.032
- Paulsen, M.H., Ausbacher, D., Bayer, A., Engqvist, M., Hansen, T., Haug, T., Anderssen, T., Andersen, J.H., Sollid, J.U. E., Strøm, M.B. Antimicrobial activity of amphipathic alfa,alfa-disubstituted beta-amino amide derivatives against ESBL – CARBA producing multi-resistant bacteria; effect of halogenation, lipophilicity and cationic character. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2019, 183, 111671. DOI:10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111671
- Solstad, R.G.; Johansen, C.; Stensvåg, K.; Strøm, M.B.; Haug, T. Structure‐activity relationship studies of shortened analogues of the antimicrobial peptide EeCentrocin 1 from the sea urchin Echinus esculentus. J. Peptide Sci. 2020;26:e3233. DOI:10.1002/psc.3233
- Ida K. Ø. Hansen, I.K.Ø.; Lövdahl, T.; Simonovic, D.; Hansen, K.Ø.; Andersen, A.J.C.; Devold, H.; Richard, C.S.M.; Andersen, J.H.; Strøm, M.B.; Haug, T. Antimicrobial activity of small synthetic peptides based on the marine peptide turgencin a: prediction of antimicrobial peptide sequences in a natural peptide and strategy for optimization of potency. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(15), 5460. DOI:10.3390/ijms21155460.
- Paulsen, M.H.; Engqvist, M.; Ausbacher, D.; Anderssen, T.; Langer, M.K.; Haug, T.; Morello, G.R.; Liikanen, L.E.; Blencke, H-.M.; Isaksson, J.; Juskewitz, E.; Bayer, A.; Strøm, M.B. Amphipathic Barbiturates as Mimics of Antimicrobial Peptides and the Marine Natural Products Eusynstyelamides with Activity against Multi-resistant Clinical Isolates. J. Med. Chem. 2021, 64, 11395. doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00734.
- Langer, M.K.; Rahman, A.; Dey, H.; Anderssen, T.; Zilioli, F.; Haug, T.; Blencke, H.-M.; Stensvåg, K.; Strøm, M.B., Bayer, A. A concise SAR-analysis of antimicrobial cationic amphipathic barbiturates for an improved activity-toxicity profile. Eur. J. Med. Chem. (2022), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114632.
- Hofsten, S.; Paulsen, M.H.; Magnussen, S.N.; Ausbacher, D.; Kranz, M.; Bayer, A.; Strøm, M.B.; Berge, G. The marine natural product MPM-1 is cytolytic and induces DAMP release from human cancer cell lines. Scientific Reports. 2022, 12, 15586. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-19597-4.
- Dey, H.; Simonovic, D.; Norberg-Schulz Hagen, I.; Vasskog, T.; Strøm, M.B.; Fredheim, E.G.Aa.; Haug, T. Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of short analogues of the marine antimicrobial peptide turgencin A: Effects of SAR optimizations, Cys-Cys cyclization and lipopeptide modifications. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 13844. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232213844.
- Hemmingsen, L.M.; Giordani, B.; Paulsen, M.H.; Vani, Z.; Flaten, G.E.; Vitali, B.; Basnet, P.; Bayer, A.; Strøm, M.B.; Sˇkalko-Basnet, N. Tailored anti-biofilm activity – Liposomal delivery for mimic of small antimicrobial peptide. Biomaterials Advances 145 (2023) 213238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.213238.
- Hofsten, S.; Langer, M.K.; Korelin, K.; Magnussen, S.; Ausbacher, D.; Anderssen, T.; Salo, T.; Strøm, M.B.; Bayer, A.; Al-Samadi, A.; Berge, G. Amphipathic barbiturates as marine product mimics with cytolytic and immunogenic effects on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Front. Pharmacol. 14:1141669. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2023.1141669.
- Langer, M.K.; Rahman, A.; Dey, D.; Anderssen, T.; Blencke, H.-M.; Haug, T.; Stensvåg, K.; Strøm, M.B.; Bayer, A. Investigation of tetrasubstituted heterocycles reveals hydantoins as a promising scaffold for development of novel antimicrobials with membranolytic properties. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2023, 249, 115147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115147.
Patents
- Svendsen, J. S.; Haug, B. E.; Istvan, M.; Øystein, R.; Skar, M. L.; Stensen, W.; Strøm, M. B., Antimicrobial membrane-destabilizing peptidic compounds and formulations. 2001. WO 2001066147 (A2).
- Stroem, M.B.; Hansen, T.; Havelkova, M.; Tørfoss, V. Therapeutic peptides. 2011. WO 2011051692 (A1).
- Tadesse, M,; Stroem, M.B.; Svenson, J.; Jaspars M.; Stensvaag K.; Haug T. Bioactive alkaloids. WO2012035305 (A1).
- Strøm, M.B.; Bayer, A.; Engqvist, S.O.M.; Paulsen, M.H; Ausbacher, D. 2018. Barbituric acid derivatives comprising cationic and lipophilic groups. WO/2018/178198. PCT/EP2018/058011.
Research interests
JOB DESCRIPTION
Morten B. Strøm is Vice-dean Research and Innovation at the Faculty of Health Sciences. He is a professor in medicinal chemistry at the Department of Pharmacy, Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Research Group. His research involves development of peptides and peptidomimetics with activity against resistant bacteria and with activity against cancer cells. Together with other research groups at UiT we are studying how these molecules can be developed into future drug candidates and drug formulations. This has given important experience with innovation, patents, and commercialization.
Professor at the Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Research Group.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
1) Design, synthesis and development of antimicrobial and anticancer peptides and peptidomimetics as lead-compounds for drug-development and investigation of pharmacophore models.
2) Design and synthesis of peptidomimetics and bioactive scaffolds for optimization of potency and pharmacokinetic properties.
3) Isolation and structural elucidation of marine bioactive compounds from Arctic and sub-Arctic marine invertebrates and synthesis of marine natural product mimics (marine bio-prospecting).
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1973-0778
PhD student supervision
- 2000 – 2004: Assistant supervisor for PhD Morten K. Moe - PhD thesis: ESI low-energy tandem MS characterisation of lipids modified by a novel derivatisation method. Financed by the Norwegian Research Council.
- 2007 – 2010: Assistant supervisor for PhD Margey Tadesse - PhD thesis: Antimicrobial natural products from Arctic and sub-Arctic marine invertebrates. Financed by UiT.
- 2007 – 2011: Primary supervisor for PhD Terkel Hansen (cand. pharm.) - PhD thesis: Antimicrobial and anticancer beta-peptidomimetics – synthesis and biological evaluation of a new class of small and highly potent compounds. Financed by UiT.
- 2008 – 2012: Primary supervisor for PhD Dominik A. Ausbacher (cand. pharm.) - PhD Thesis: Biological activity of β2,2-amino acid derivatives derived from antimicrobial peptides - Investigations of antimicrobial and anticancer activity and the mechanisms of action. Financed by UiT.
- 2008 – 2013: Primary supervisor for PhD Veronika Tørfoss (cand. pharm.) - PhD thesis: Short anticancer peptides containing a lipophilic β2,2-amino acid - Synthesis and biological evaluation of linear and cyclic hepta-, hexa-, penta-, and tetrapeptides. Financed by the Norwegian Research Council (KOSK-II program).
- 2011 – 2015: Assistant supervisor for PhD Elisabeth Klungerbo Olsen (cand. pharm.) - PhD thesis: Bioprospecting of Arctic marine organisms. Financed by MabCent – SFI.
- 2011 – 2015: Primary supervisor for Elizaveta Mikhailovna Igumnova - Working title: Chemical synthesis, isolation, and structural characterization of marine bioactive hit compounds. Financed by MabCent – SFI.
- 2012 – 2016: Assistant supervisor for PhD Runar Gjerp Solstad - PhD thesis: Discovery of antimicrobial peptides in two invertebrates, the sea anemone Urticina eques and the sea urchin chinus esculentus - Isolation, characterization and structure-activity relationship studies. Financed by UiT.
- 2012 – 2017: Primary supervisor for PhD Marianne Hagensen Paulsen - PhD thesis: Synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides. Synthesis and biological studies of novel synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides. Financed by the Norwegian Research Council (NFR) and UiT - "Fellesløftet".
- 2014 – 2017: Assistant supervisor for PhD Thomas Aleksander Bakka (NTNU - Trondheim - Norway) - PhD thesis: Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of small molecule amphiphiles derived from amphiphilic antimicrobial natural products. Financed by NTNU.
- 2018 – in progress: Assistant supervisor for Christoffer Ågnes Sivertsen (Faculty of Bioscience, fisheries, and economics – UiT) – Working title: Antibacterial and antibiofilm compounds in Arctic and sub-Arctic invertebrates. Financed by UiT – The Arctic University of Norway – "Thematic emphasis programme" – AntifoMar.
- 2018 – 2022: Assistant supervisor for PhD Manuel Karl Langer (Department of chemistry – UiT) – PhD thesis: Marine natural product inspired synthesis towards new antimicrobial and antifouling agents. Financed by UiT – The Arctic University of Norway – "Thematic emphasis programme" - AntifoMar.
- 2019 – 2023: Assistant supervisor for PhD Susannah von Hofsten (Department of medical biology – UiT) – PhD thesis: Anticancer activity of amphipathic barbiturates. Financed by UiT – The Arctic University of Norway.
- 2018 – 2023: Primary supervisor for PhD Danijela Simonovic (Department of Pharmacy – UiT) – PhD thesis: Synthesis and structure-activity relationship studies of marine-derived antimicrobial peptides and small cyclic peptidomimetics. Financed by UiT – The Arctic University of Norway – "Thematic emphasis programme" – LEADScAMR.
- 2019 – 2024: Assistant supervisor for PhD Ataur Rahman (Faculty of Bioscience, fisheries, and economics – UiT) – PhD thesis: Bioactivity profiling and mode of action studies of antibacterial and antibiofilm agents of marine origin. Financed by UiT – The Arctic University of Norway – "Thematic emphasis programme" – AntifoMar.
- 2019 – 2024: Assistant supervisor for PhD Hymonti Dey (Faculty of Bioscience, fisheries, and economics – UiT) – PhD thesis: Antimicrobial activities and mechanisms of action of peptide analogues of marine origin. Financed by UiT – The Arctic University of Norway – "Thematic emphasis programme" - LEADScAMR.
Supervision of master students
I have since 2003 been supervisor for 31 master students in pharmacy / medicinal chemistry / organic chemistry.
Teaching
FAR-2301: Medicinal chemistry and natural products chemistry
FAR-3301: Advanced pharmaceutical chemistry
Member of research group
CV
Academic background:
1994: Bachelor of Science (Norwegian Cand. Mag.) in chemistry, UoT.
1996: Master of Science (Norwegian Cand. Scient.) in organic chemistry, UoT. Title of thesis: “Synthesis of substrate-analogs for collagenase by peptide synthesis in solution.”
1996: Scientific Researcher at the University Hospital of Northern-Norway (UNN).
1997: PhD student in organic chemistry, UoT.
2001: Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) in organic chemistry. Title of PhD thesis: “Lactoferricin as a model system for preparing highly active antimicrobial peptides”.
2001: Post doc.
2002 – 2012: Associate professor at the Department of Pharmacy (UoT).
2006: University Pedagogical Seminar (UPS) completed.
2012: Professor at the Department of Pharmacy (UoT).
2022 - : Vice-dean Research and Innovation, Faculty of Health Sciences (UiT).
Teaching
FAR-2301: Medicinal chemistry and natural products chemistry
FAR-3301: Advanced pharmaceutical chemistry