Faculty

1985 MD, LMU München 1987 Postdoctoral Fellow, LMU München 1991 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Washington, Seattle, USA 1993 Group leader, LMU München 1996 Heisenberg Fellow, LMU München 2002 Professor of Phsyiology and Director, Institute of Physiology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel 2008 Professor of Physiology and Chairman, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

Our research focuses on the electric behavior of CNS neurons under normal and pathological conditions. Using high-resolution neurophysiologic and optical techniques, we investigate function and regulation of ion channels and synapses. Our aim is to understand fundamental neural processes which are essential for cognitive and motor functions as well as for affective behavior and whose dysfunctions might give rise to neuropsychiatric disorders.

Project

Role of activin in development-related neuropsychiatric disorders

2003 Diploma in Biology, University of Münster 2007 PhD, Institute of Genetics, Johannes-Gutenberg University of Mainz 2008 Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Centre Munich 2012 Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Centre Munich 2013 Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Biochemistry, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg 2017 Independant Group Leader, Institute of Biochemistry, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

Interaction of stem cells and their progeny with their microenvironment is critical for regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis. Astrocytes are considered major components of the hippocampal neurogenic niche, but their specific contribution to neurogenesis-dependent plasticity remains largely understudied. In contrast to the prevailing assumption that mature astrocytes are postmitotic in the non-injured adult brain, I recently identified astrocyte subtypes, which started to proliferate in response to pro- or anti-neurogenic stimuli, thus revealing unexpected astrocyte plasticity. In my research I pursue the novel hypothesis that astrocyte heterogeneity and astrogenesis are critical modulators of neurogenesis-dependent plasticity.

Project

Contribution of astrocytes to synapse formation in adult-born hippocampal neurons

1988 PhD, Karl Franzens University, Graz, Austria 1988 Postdoctoral Fellow, Life Sciences Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada 1992 Research Assistant, Department of Biology, University of Freiburg 1992 Max Planck Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt/Main 1993 Research Group Leader, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt/Main 1998 Heisenberg Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt/Main 2004 Professor of Animal Physiology/ Neurobiology, Magdeburg, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg 2006 Professor and Chair of Animal Physiology/ Neurobiology, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

The research of the Brandstätter and Regus-Leidig group focuses on molecules and mechanisms that play a role in the development and the structural and functional organization of chemical synapses in the CNS with a special focus on the retina. In our experimental approach, we combine methods ranging from immunocytochemistry and light- and electron microscopical imaging to biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and electrophysiology. As synaptophathies = malfunctioning synapses are a reason for many neurodegenerative diseases and neurological disorders, the aim of our research is to contribute to a better understanding of synapse function in health and disease.

Project

Examining the synaptogenesis and synapse maintenance factor Bassoon as a vulnerability factor in photoreceptors to late-onset degeneration

2003 Dr. sc. nat. and PhD in Neuroscience, University of Zurich, Switzerland 2003 Fellow of Swiss National Foundation, Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg 2005 Postdoctoral Fellow, Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg 2009 Group Leader, Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg 2013 Independant Junior Research Group Leader, Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg 2016 Professor, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

My group is interested in the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying plasticity of presynaptic function in healthy brain and in disease.

Project

The project aims to further increase the understanding of the pathophyiological link between development and the pathogenesis of adult-onset neuropsychiatric and -degenerative disease by systematically investigating critical regulators of activity-dependent gene expression.

2001 VetMD, University of Leipzig 2007 PhD in Physics, University of Leipzig 2007 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Cambridge 2011 University Lecturer, University of Cambridge 2017 University Reader in Neuronal Mechanics, University of Cambridge 2020 Full Professor of Neuronal Mechanics, University of Cambridge 2020 Alexander von Humboldt-Professor and Chair of the Institute for Medical Physics and Microtissue Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg 2020 Scientific Board, Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen

Research focus

We are working at the interface between physical and life sciences to understand how mechanical signals, such as cellular forces and local tissue stiffness, regulate developmental and regenerative processes in the nervous system.

Project

We will investigate whether and how demyelination-induced alterations of tissue mechanics affect axonal regeneration and how the neuron senses alterations in tissue mechanics during ageing and in demyelinating diseases. The knowledge gained from this project will lead to a better understanding of how developmental programmes could be exploited to promote regeneration.

2003 Graduation Diplom Biologie, LMU Munich 2004-2008 PhD, LMU Munich 2009-2011 Postdoctoral Fellow Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA 2011-2014 Postdoctoral Scientist in the lab of Prof. Benedikt Berninger, LMU Munich 2014-2019 Group Leader Physiological Genomics, BMC Munich 2019 – now W2 Professor Institute of Biochemistry, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

In the lab we are studying processes that govern human neuron formation by using a dual approach which entails forced and natural neurogenesis using direct lineage reprogramming and the brain organoid model, respectively. We are using primary cultures of human brain pericytes to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying fate conversion of pericytes into induced neurons. Furthermore, we use (patient-derived) human iPS cells to generate three-dimensional cell aggregates termed brain organoids to study aspects of early human neurogenesis. Besides using single cell transcriptomics, we are also using continuous live imaging to follow the trajectories on a single cell level.

Project

Revealing the origin of corpus callosum aberrations by employing a human brain organoid-based model system

1985 MD, University of Ulm 1986 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg 1989 Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg 1996 Associate Professor, Head of Gerontopsychiatric Unit, University of Göttingen 2000 Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

Our research focuses on sphingolipid metabolism and neuropsychiatric disorders, on the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder and Alzheimer’s disease and on the early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Project

Basic and translational investigations into the role of the sphingolipid enzyme sphingomyelin synthase in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depression

2008 Diploma degree in Biology, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg 2008 Graduate student, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg 2012 Postdoctoral fellow, Institute of Biochemistry, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg 2019 Group leader, Institute of Biochemistry, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

My research focuses on the identification and functional analysis of novel regulators and modifiers of glial development and myelination in vitro and in vivo. To obtain a better understanding of transcriptional regulatory networks, which jointly work together during glial development to enable proper myelination and remyelination, I focus on potential targets and interactors of known key regulators of myelination processes, such as the transcription factors Sox10 and Myrf in oligodendrocytes.

Project

The role of Dusp15/VHY during oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination

1998 MD, RWTH Aachen 1999 Postdoctoral Fellow, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies 2005 Group Leader, Helmholtz Center Munich 2011 Professor for Molecular Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis – the generation of hippocampal neurons from stem cells throughout life – is a prime example of how the continuous activity of neurodevelopmental processes shapes plasticity of the adult brain. Notably, impaired adult neurogenesis is evolving as a major contributor to neuropsychiatric symptoms in ageing, mental and neurodegenerative diseases. Research in my group aims to understand the molecular and cell biological mechanisms controlling adult hippocampal neurogenesis with a major focus on transcriptional and metabolic regulation.

Project

Role of the neurodevelopmental transcription factor Sox11 in shaping adult CNS function in physiology and disease

2001 Diploma in Biochemistry, Leipzig University 2001 PhD student at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuernberg (FAU) 2007 Research Assistant at the Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI) 2008 Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen/ FAU 2013 Head of departmental biobanking at the Molecular Neurobiology Laboratories 2019 Group Leader “Biomarkers in Psychiatry”, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen/ FAU

Research focus

Recent data strongly indicate the influence of the sphingolipid metabolism in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric diseases such as depression, alcohol addiction and neurodegeneration. We characterize the involved sphingomyelinase and ceramidase enzymes in various biological materials and investigate their genetic variation, activity and regulation in animal / cell culture models, healthy individuals and patients. Thereby we aim to better understand the underlying molecular mechanisms as well as to evaluate the suitability of these enzymes as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and as preventive and therapeutic targets.

Project

Basic and translational investigations into the role of the sphingolipid enzyme sphingomyelin synthase in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depression

1986 MD, Universities of Göttingen und Lübeck 1986 Postdoctoral fellow, Inst. of Human Genetics, Univ. of Göttingen 1990 Group leader, Inst. of Human Genetics, Humboldt Univ. Berlin 1995 Founder and Project Leader, “Gene Mapping Centre” at Max-Delbrück-Center (MDC), Berlin 1998 Associate Professor, Humboldt Univ. Berlin 2000 Professor of Human Genetics at the FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg and Director of the Institute of Human Genetics at the University Hospital Erlangen

Research focus

Genetic basis of neurocognitive disorders – the majority of these disorders, especially those with moderate to severe intellectual impairment, are caused by major genetic defects, but the genetic heterogeneity is extremely high, making their elucidation a challenge. In recent years, though, common pathways and cellular processes have emerged making identification of causative genes and the study of their pathophysiology an excellent avenue to understand cognition and eventually find treatments for affected individuals. Research in my group aims to understand the genetic defects and molecular mechanisms controlling all process leading to disturbed cognition with a major focus on chromatin related processes of transcriptional control.

Project

Identification of transcriptional networks underlying corpus callosum dysgenesis in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disease

1999 – 2006    Medical Studies at Julius-Maximilians University Wuerzburg, Germany, University of Toronto, Canada, Université de Strasbourg, France 2006 – 2007  Resident in Neurology, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf 2007 – 2013   Resident in Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TU Munich 2013                 Board Certification in Neurology 2014 – 2018   Research Fellow (DFG) in Neuroimmunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA 2018 – 2020   Attennding Physician and Heisenberg Fellow, Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TU Munich From 9/2020  Full Professor (W3), Heisenberg Professor for Neuroimmunology, and ERC Starting Grantee, Department of Neurology, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

Astrocytes and microglia are the most abundant glial cells in the CNS with important functions in development, health and disease. Indeed, their interactions determine developmental processes as well as the outcome in autoimmune inflammatory, degenerative and ischemic disorders of the CNS. In this context, we have shown that the interaction of glial cells with metabolites derived from the gut flora alters the outcome in inflammatory CNS disorders by the interaction of dietary metabolites with the Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in astrocytes and microglia. Combining clinical studies with preclinical disease models, we aim to unravel mechanisms controlled by glial cells and their interaction with gut-derived AHR ligands during development, health and disease. Our ultimate goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms and to develop novel therapeutic interventions for developmental disorders as well as CNS diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Neuromyelitis optica and ischemic stroke.

Project

Role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor on function and immune response of astrocytes

1990 Dr. rer. nat., Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg 1990 Postdoctoral Fellow, CMM, University of California at San Diego (UCSD) 1994 Group Leader, Centre for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH) 2000 Chair of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

Myelination is a central function of glial cells in the vertebrate nervous system, and essential during development as well as in the adult as evident from the fact that myelination defects cause a variety of diseases that manifest at different times of life including leukodystrophies, autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and multiple sclerosis. Research in my group aims to understand the molecular mechanisms controlling gliogenesis, glial identity and homeostasis as well as myelination in the vertebrate central and peripheral nervous systems with a major focus on transcriptional regulation.

Project

The developmental regulator Sox8 as a determinant of glial disease in the adult CNS

1986 M.D., School of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg and Louis-Pasteur University, Strasbourg (France) 1986 Residency in Neurology, Julius-Maximilians University Würzburg 1992 Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego (UCSD) and McDonnell-Pew Center, Salk Institute, La Jolla 1995 Assistant Adjunct Professor of Neurosciences, UCSD 2002 Professor of Clinical Neurobiology, University of Regensburg 2008 Head of the Divison of Molecular Neurology and Movement Disorder Center, University Hospital Erlangen 2017 Member Governing Board, University Hospital Erlangen, and Vice Dean, Medical Faculty, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

The underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases such as synucleinopathies are examined by using innovative translational neuroscience approaches in order to define the impact on the endogenous regenerative potential within the diseased brain, in particular the generation of new neurons and oligodendroglia. Furthermore, by taking advantage of our outpatient clinic we established human induced pluripotent stem cells and neural progeny for disease modelling purposes. The overall hypothesis is that impaired adult neuro- and oligodendrogenesis may contribute to distinct disease phenotypes. The present project investigates the functional consequences of alpha-synuclein pathology in oligodendrocytes with particular focus on myelin homeostasis.

Project

Oligodendrogenesis and myelin homeostasis in alpha-synucleinopathies

1999 MD, Universities of Regensburg and Würzburg 2005 Specialist, Neurology, Universität Regensburg, Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie 2007 Humboldt Fellow, Research Associate, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies 2010 IZKF Junior Group Leader/ BMBF Research Group Leader Neuroscience, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

The overall goal of research in our laboratory is to model neurodegenerative diseases using stem cells. Specifically, we investigate neurodegeneration and regeneration in synucleinopathies including Parkinson’s disease and motor neuron diseases.

Project

Function of the hereditary spastic paraplegia disease gene SPG11 in development and degeneration of the corpus callosum

2010 Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Biochemistry, University of Kiel, Germany 2011   Master of Research (M.Res.) in Biomedical Sciences, St. Georges University of London, United Kingdom 2015   Dissertation (Dr. rer. nat.) in Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Kiel, Germany 2015-2016 Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA 2016-2020 Postdoctoral fellow, independent group Leader, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Kiel, Germany 2020   W1 Professor for Translational Neurosciences, Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen / FAU Erlangen Nürnberg 2021 IZKF Junior Group Leader, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Research focus

In our laboratory, we are interested in the cellular and molecular disease mechanisms involved in Synucleinopathies, which are characterized by -Synuclein aggregation and include Parkinson’s disease and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). Thereby our main focus is on protein aggregation and degradation pathways that involve lysosomal function and homeostasis. We are specialized in tools and readouts to analyze lysosomal function and homeostasis in various cell models. Our main techniques involve protein-biochemical and -structural analyses as well as induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) systems and neuronal differentiation protocols.

Project

Consequences of -Synuclein-mediated Lysosomal Dysfunction on Oligodendrogenesis and myelination