Frank Schroeder

Professor
Frank Schroeder
schroeder@cornell.edu
Office/Lab: 425/414-422
Phone: 607-254-4391
Office/Lab: 425/414-422
Graduate Fields: Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB); Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology (BMCB)
Research Areas: Chemical Biology / Cell Biology
Research Overview

Please see our Group Website for recent news and publications, research updates, and teaching.

Our research is directed at characterizing structures and biological functions of biogenic small molecules (BSM’s). BSM’s play important roles in most biological processes, and detailed knowledge of their chemical structures and their interactions with other biomolecules is essential for advancing our molecular understanding of life. BSM’s regulate development and immune responses in plants and animals, and serve important functions in interactions of different organisms with each other. As a result, an organism’s metabolome essentially comprises a collection of small molecules with potentially useful affinities for specific molecular targets. Not surprisingly, BSM’s constitute the most important source of lead structures for drug development.

Compared to template-derived biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids, BSM’s are chemically much more diverse and correspondingly present great analytical challenges. As a result, genomic and proteomic knowledge has not yet been complemented by a comprehensive characterization of structures and functions of metabolomes, presenting one of the most significant barriers toward advancing our understanding of biological pathways.

The Schroeder lab aims to help close this knowledge gap by developing approaches for a more systematic structural and functional characterization of BSM’s. Usually, BSM’s occur as – often minor – components of a more or less complex biological matrix, comprising a large number of BSM’s and other biomolecules. Traditional approaches for the characterization of BSM’s such as HPLC-MS or activity-guided fractionation have distinct disadvantages that severely limit their applicability. Our aims is to develop NMR spectroscopy-based approaches that complement or enhance traditional methodology by enabling detailed characterization of BSM’s in complex biological samples, with regard to both chemical structure and biological function.

Based on NMR-spectroscopic methodology we have engaged in a comprehensive effort to characterize structures and functions of the metabolome (the entirety of all BSM’s) produced by the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, focusing on several newly discovered compounds that control development, and ultimately lifespan. In addition we have started a project directed at investigating the chemical ecology of microorganisms in search of leads for new antibiotics. Complementing our interests in analytical chemistry, we pursue development of efficient syntheses for newly identified compounds with particular biological significance.

Please visit our research pages for more details!

Natural genetic variation in the pheromone production of C. elegans
2023.
Lee, D., Fox, B.W., Palominom D,F., Pandam O., Tenjom F.J., Koury, E.J., Evans, K.S., Stevens, L., Rodrigues, P.R., Kolodziej, A.R., Schroeder, Frank C., Andersen, E.C.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
120
:
Broad anti-pathogen potential of DEAD box RNA helicase eIF4A-targeting rocaglates
2023.
Obermann, W., Azri, M.F.D., Konopka, L., Schmidt, N., Magari, F., Sherman, J., Silva, L.M.R., Hermosilla, C., Ludewig, A.H., Houhou, H., Haeberlein, S., Luo, M.Y., Häcker, I., Schetelig, M.F., Grevelding, C.G., Schroeder, Frank C., Lau, G.S.K., Taubert, A., Rodriguez, A., Heine, A., Yeo, T.C., Grünweller, A., Taroncher-Oldenburg, G.
Scientific Reports.
13
:
Oligonucleotide Catabolism-Derived Gluconucleosides in Caenorhabditis elegans
2023.
Curtis, B.J., Schwertfeger, T.J., Burkhardt, .RN., Fox, B.W., Andrzejewsk,i J., Wrobel, C.J.J., Yu, J., Rodrigues PR, Tauffenberger, A., Schroeder, Frank
Journal of the American Chemical Society.
:
Repurposing degradation pathways for modular metabolite biosynthesis in nematodes
2023.
Wrobel, C.J.J., Schroeder, Frank
Nature Chemical Biology.
:
Sex-specificity of the C. elegans metabolome
2023.
Burkhardt, R.N., Artyukhin, A.B., Aprison, E.Z., Curtis, B.J., Fox, B.W., Ludewig, A.H., Palomino, D.F., Luo, J., Chaturbedi, A., Panda, O., Wrobel, C.J.J., Baumann, V., Portman, D.S., Lee, S.S., Ruvinsky, I., Schroeder, Frank C.
Nat Commun..
14
:
320
Neuronally produced betaine acts via a ligand-gated ion channel to control behavioral states
2022.
Hardege, I., Morud, J., Yu, J., Wilson, T.S., Schroeder, Frank C, Schafer, W.R.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.
119
:
e2201783119
Inulin fibre promotes microbiota-derived bile acids and type 2 inflammation.
2022.
Arifuzzaman, M., Won, T.H., Li, T.T., Yano, H., Digumarthi, S., Heras, A.F., Zhang, W., Parkhurst, C.N., Kashyap, S., Jin, W.B., Putzel, G.G., Tsou, A.M., Chu, C., Wei, Q., Grier, A., JRI IBD Live Cell Bank Consortium, Worgall, S., Guo, C.J., Schroeder, Frank C., Artis, D.
Nature.
611
:
578–584
Parallel pathways for serotonin biosynthesis and metabolism in C. elegans.
2022.
Yu, J., Vogt, M.C., Fox, B.W., Wrobel, C.J.J., Fajardo Palomino, D., Curtis, B.J., Zhang, B., Le, H.H., Tauffenberger, A., Hobert, O., Schroeder, Frank C.
Nat Chem Biol..
19
:
141–150
Copper starvation induces antimicrobial isocyanide integrated into two distinct biosynthetic pathways in fungi
2022.
Won, T.H., Bok, J.W., Nadig, N., Venkatesh, N., Nickle,s G., Grecom C., Lim, F.Y., González, J.B., Turgeon, B.G., Keller, N.P., Schroeder, Frank
Nature Communications.
13(1)
:
C. elegans as a model for inter-individual variation in metabolism
2022.
Fox, B.W., Ponomarova, O., Lee, Y.U., Zhang, G., Giese, G.E., Walker, M., Roberto, N.M., Na, H., Rodrigues, P.R., Curtis, B.J., Kolodziej, A.R., Crombie, T.A., Zdraljevic, S., Yilmaz, L.S., Andersen, E.C., Schroeder, Frank, Walhout, A.J.M.
Nature.
607
:
571–577
CEST-2.2 overexpression alters lipid metabolism and extends longevity of mitochondrial mutants
2022.
Piazzesi, A., Wang, Y., Jackson, J., Wischhof, L., Zeisler-Diehl, V., Scifo, E., Oganezova, I., Hoffmann, T., Gómez, M.P., Bertan, F., Wrobel, C.J.J., Schroeder, Frank, Ehninger, D., Händler, K., Schultze, J.L., Schreiber, L., van Echten-Deckert, G., Nicotera, P., Bano, D.
EMBO Reports.
:
Nematode ascarosides attenuate mammalian type 2 inflammatory responses
2022.
Shinoda, K., Choe, A., Hiraharam K,, Kiuchim M,, Kokubom K,, Ichikawam T,, Hokim J,S,, Suzuki, A.S., Bose, N., Appleton, J.A., Aroian, R.V., Schroeder, Frank, Sternberg, P.W., Nakayama, T.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
119
:
Comparative metabolomics with Metaboseek reveals functions of a conserved fat metabolism pathway in C. elegans
2022.
Helf, M.J., Fox, B.W., Artyukhin, A.B., Zhang, Y.K., Schroeder, Frank
Nature Communications.
13
:
Formation and Function of Dauer Ascarosides in the Nematodes Caenorhabditis briggsae and Caenorhabditis elegans
2022.
Cohen, S.M., Wrobel, C.J.J., Prakash, S.J., Schroeder, Frank, Sternberg, P.W.
G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics.
12
:
jkac014
Illuminating the lineage-specific diversification of resin glycoside acylsugars in the morning glory (Convolvulaceae) family using computational metabolomics
2022.
Kruse, L.H., Bennett, A.A., Mahood, E.H., Lazarus, E., Park, S.J., Schroeder, Frank, Moghe, G.D.
Horticulture Research.
:
Neuronal KGB-1 JNK MAPK signaling regulates the dauer developmental decision in response to environmental stress in C. elegans
2022.
Dogra, D., Kulalert, W., Schroeder, Frank, Kim, D.H.
Genetics.
220
:
iyab186
Comparison of High-Resolution Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry Platforms for Putative Metabolite Annotation
2021.
Huang, D., Bouza, M., Gaul, D.A., Leach, F.E. 3rd., Amster, I.J., Schroeder, Frank, Edison, A.S., Fernández, F.M.
Annals of Chemical Science Research.
93
:
12374–12382
Combinatorial Assembly of Modular Glucosides via Carboxylesterases Regulates C. elegans Starvation Survival
2021.
Wrobel, C.J.J., Yu. J., Rodrigues. P.R., Ludewig. A.H., Curtis, B.J., Cohen, S.M., Fox, B.W., O'Donnell, M.P., Sternberg, P.W., Schroeder, Frank
Journal of the American Chemical Society.
143
:
14676–14683
Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics: a guide for annotation, quantification and best reporting practices
2021.
Alseekh, S., Aharoni, A., Brotman, Y., Contrepois, K., D'Auria, J., Ewald, J., C Ewald, J., Fraser, PD., Giavalisco, P., Hall, RD., Heinemann, M., Link, H., Luo, J., Neumann. S., Nielsen, J., Perez de Souza, L., Saito, K., Sauer, U., Schroeder, Frank, Schuster, S., Siuzdak, G., Skirycz, Aleksandra, Sumner, LW., Snyder, MP., Tang, H., Tohge, T., Wang, Y., Wen, W., Wu, S., Xu, G., Zamboni, N., Fernie, AR.
Nature Methods.
18
:
747–756
Inversion of pheromone preference optimizes foraging in C. elegans
2021.
Dal Bello, M., Pérez-Escudero, A., Schroeder, Frank, Gore, J.
eLife.
10
:
Ascaroside treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis
Frank Schroeder
US Patent: 11,464,810
Ascaroside treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
Frank Schroeder
US Patent: 11,077,151
Compositions and methods for modulating immunity in plants
Frank Schroeder
US Patent: 10,136,595
US Patent: 11,019,776
US Patent: 11,849,688
European Patent: EP2,967,052
Chinese Patent: CN105263324
Canadian Patent: CA2907470A1
Utility of nematode small molecules
Frank Schroeder
US Patent: 9,868,754
US Patent: 10,183,963
US Patent: 10,479,813
US Patent: 11,673,908
Small molecule compounds that control plant- and insect-pathogenic nematodes
Frank Schroeder
US Patent: 9,534,008
Chinese Patent: CN103841827
Japanese Patent: JP6109829
Small molecule compounds that control mammal-pathogenic nematodes
Frank Schroeder
US Patent: 9,487,551
Small molecule compounds for the control of nematodes
Frank Schroeder
US Patent: 9,445,596
Ascarosides as nematode sex pheromones
Frank Schroeder
US Patent: 8,318,146

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