World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Award Badge
Biology and Biochemistry
Germany
2025

D-Index & Metrics

Biology and Biochemistry

D-Index
97
Citations
32115
World Ranking
1761
National Ranking
116

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2025 - Research.com Biology and Biochemistry in Germany Leader Award

Overview

Roland Benz is affiliated with Jacobs University in Germany and has contributed extensively to research in biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and medicine. Their work spans multiple subfields including molecular biology, genetics, infectious diseases, immunology, and molecular medicine.

The research interests of Roland Benz focus on bacterial genetics and biotechnology, with significant emphasis on Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens studies. Other key topics in their publications include ion channel regulation and function, toxin mechanisms and immunotoxins, antibiotic resistance in bacteria, lipid membrane structure and behavior, and streptococcal infections and treatments.

Among their recent papers are:

  • "Human peptide α-defensin-1 interferes with Clostridioides difficile toxins TcdA, TcdB, and CDT" (2020), published in The FASEB Journal
  • "Structure and Gating Behavior of the Human Integral Membrane Protein VDAC1 in a Lipid Bilayer" (2022), published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society
  • "Conformational Dynamics of Loop L3 in OmpF: Implications toward Antibiotic Translocation and Voltage Gating" (2022), published in the Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling
  • "Characterization and Pharmacological Inhibition of the Pore-Forming Clostridioides difficile CDTb Toxin" (2021), published in Toxins
  • "Clostridium perfringens Beta2 toxin forms highly cation-selective channels in lipid bilayers" (2021), published in the European Biophysics Journal

Frequent publication venues include:

  • Toxins
  • European Biophysics Journal
  • Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Biomembranes
  • BIOspektrum
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

Roland Benz has collaborated regularly with several coauthors, including:

  • Claudio Piselli
  • Ulrich Kleinekathöfer
  • Michel R. Popoff
  • Abhishek Acharya
  • Ishan Ghai

The scope of their contributions covers 36 publications within the broad fields of biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology, complemented by 12 publications in medicine. Their subfield outputs include 17 works in molecular biology and 9 in genetics, as well as research in infectious diseases, immunology, and molecular medicine.

Best Publications

  • Mechanism of Interaction of Different Classes of Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides with Planar Bilayers and with the Cytoplasmic Membrane of Escherichia coli

    Manhong Wu;Elke Maier;Roland Benz;Robert E. W. Hancock

  • Formation of large, ion-permeable membrane channels by the matrix protein (porin) of Escherichia coli.

    R. Benz;K. Janko;W. Boos;P. Läuger

  • Permeation of hydrophilic solutes through mitochondrial outer membranes: review on mitochondrial porins

    Roland Benz

  • Reversible electrical breakdown of lipid bilayer membranes: a charge-pulse relaxation study.

    R. Benz;F. Beckers;U. Zimmermann

  • The Preprotein Translocation Channel of the Outer Membrane of Mitochondria

    Klaus-Peter Künkele;Susanne Heins;Markus Dembowski;Frank E Nargang

  • Ionic selectivity of pores formed by the matrix protein (porin) of Escherichia coli.

    R. Benz;K. Janko;P. Läuger

  • Ion selectivity of gram-negative bacterial porins.

    R. Benz;A. Schmid;Robert Hancock

  • Electrical capacity of black lipid films and of lipid bilayers made from monolayers.

    R Benz;O Fröhlich;P Läuger;M Montal

  • Structure and Function of Porins from Gram-Negative Bacteria

    R Benz

  • Permeation of hydrophilic molecules through the outer membrane of gram‐negativ bacteria

    Roland Benz;Katharina Bauer

  • Porin from bacterial and mitochondrial outer membranes.

    Roland Benz

  • Evidence for identity between the hexokinase-binding protein and the mitochondrial porin in the outer membrane of rat liver mitochondria.

    Christian Fiek;Roland Benz;Norbert Roos;Dieter Brdiczka

  • The Rate Constants of Valinomycin-Mediated Ion Transport through Thin Lipid Membranes

    G. Stark;B. Ketterer;R. Benz;P. Läuger

  • Porins in the cell wall of mycobacteria.

    Joaquim Trias;Vincent Jarlier;Roland Benz

  • Cells with Manipulated Functions: New Perspectives for Cell Biology, Medicine, and Technology

    Ulrich Zimmermann;Peter Scheurich;Günter Pilwat;Roland Benz

  • The repeat domain of Escherichia coli haemolysin (HlyA) is responsible for its Ca2+-dependent binding to erythrocytes.

    Albrecht Ludwig;Thomas Jarchau;Roland Benz;Werner Goebel

  • Mechanism of sugar transport through the sugar-specific LamB channel of Escherichia coli outer membrane.

    Roland Benz;Angela Schmid;Greetje H. Vos-Scheperkeuter

  • Voltage-dependent depolarization of bacterial membranes and artificial lipid bilayers by the peptide antibiotic nisin.

    H. G. Sahl;M. Kordel;R. Benz

  • Structural Properties of Pore-Forming Oligomers of α-Synuclein

    Hai Young Kim;Min Kyu Cho;Ashutosh Kumar;Elke Maier

  • The transport of potassium through lipid bilayer membranes by the neutral carriers valinomycin and monactin : Experimental studies to a previously proposed model.

    G Stark;R Benz

Frequent Co-Authors

Robert E. W. Hancock
Robert E. W. Hancock University of British Columbia
Mathias Winterhalter
Mathias Winterhalter Jacobs University
Klaus Aktories
Klaus Aktories University of Freiburg
Holger Barth
Holger Barth University of Ulm
Werner Goebel
Werner Goebel University of Würzburg
Michel R. Popoff
Michel R. Popoff Institut Pasteur
Ulrich Kleinekathöfer
Ulrich Kleinekathöfer Jacobs University
Sven Bergström
Sven Bergström Umeå University
Ferdinando Palmieri
Ferdinando Palmieri University of Bari Aldo Moro
Peter Sebo
Peter Sebo Czech Academy of Sciences

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

A foundation in Biology or Biochemistry opens doors to a wide array of degree options and career pathways—many of which can be pursued online. Students exploring the healthcare field may consider accelerated nursing programs or seek out a ma to lpn bridge program online, providing a streamlined path from medical assisting to licensed practical nursing.

If you are interested in science-focused coursework with flexible scheduling, online biology degrees can help you build essential laboratory and analytical skills remotely. Aspiring healthcare professionals can advance their studies through online nursing programs, which offer both foundational knowledge and preparation for clinical licensure.

Nutrition science is another growing area; students who want to support community health or work in wellness fields can consider earning a nutritionist degree online. By leveraging online education, you can access a variety of programs that suit your career ambitions—all while maintaining flexibility in your personal and professional life.

Best Scientists Citing Roland Benz

Trending Scientists