People
Formation and Maintenance of Cellular Structures
Prof. Dr. Robert Ernst
School of Medicine, PZMS, SFB 894
The research focus of the Robert Ernst group is on a better understanding of how organelles sense and maintain their physicochemical surface properties and intends to identify the portfolio of mechanisms by which organelles establish this task.
Prof. Dr. Bianca Schrul
School of Medicine, PZMS, SFB 1027
The lab of Bianca Schrul is interested in fundamental aspects of lipid droplet biogenesis and aims to understand how aberrant functions in lipid droplets contribute to human pathologies such as obesity, diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.
Prof. Dr. Martin van der Laan
School of Medicine, PZMS, SFB 894, IRTG 1830
Martin van der Laan and coworkers aim to answer the question, how the characteristic morphology of the inner mitochondrial membrane is generated and maintained. Furthermore, they investigate sorting and assembly of Mitochondrial Membrane Proteins.
Prof. Dr. David Mick
ZHMB, School of Medicine, PZMS, SFB 894
David Mick`s lab works on the identification of the protein content of cilia in different cell types and aims to clarify how cilia transform external signals into cellular responses.
Prof. Dr. Sandra Iden
The Iden lab investigates mechanisms underlying mammalian cell polarity, tissue homeostasis and cancer. Key research questions address how deregulated polarity signaling affects cyto- and tissue-architecture (e.g. in mammalian skin), and how this impinges on tissue-scale communication of resident cell types in health and disease.
Prof. Dr. Martin Jung
Martin Jung works on the biochemical and biophysical characterization of transport processes at the endoplasmic reticulum in mammals and is responsible for the generation of antibodies and peptides for biochemical and cell biological applications.
Prof. Dr. Katrin Philippar
The group of Katrin Philippar aims to clarify the plant physiological role and to functional characterize the membrane transport systems for the uptake of iron and the export of fatty acids via the envelope membranes of chloroplasts.
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Franziska Lautenschläger
Faculty of Natural Science and Technology/Physics, SFB 1027
The research group of Franziska Lautenschläger deals with cellular biophysics, especially with the role of the cytoskeleton.
Endocrine and Neural Signal Processing
Prof. Dr. Gerald Thiel
The Thiel lab studies gene transcription and signal transduction pathways in cells of the endocrine and nervous systems and is interested in elucidating the role of stimulus-induced protein kinases and second messengers.
Dr. Ute Becherer
Ute Becherer´s group is interested in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of regulated exocytosis, the basis of neurotransmitter release during synaptic transmission.
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Boehm
School of Medicine, PZMS, SFB 894, TRR 152
Research in the Boehm lab focuses on the question of how the brain controls innate, stereotypical behavior e.g. which signals trigger the onset of puberty and how these signals are processed in the brain.
Prof. Dr. Frank Kirchhoff
School of Medicine, CIPMM, FOR 2289
The research of the Kirchhoff group focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of neuron-glia interaction in the central nervous system.
Dr. Varsha Pattu
School of Medicine, CIPMM, SFB 894
Varsha Pattu investigates the putative endocytosis of lytic granules with high-resolution methods like structured illumination microscopy (SIM), total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) and confocal laser-scanning microscopy.
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Marcel Lauterbach
School of Medicine, CIPMM, SFB 894
The Lauterbach group investigates the working relationship between neurones and glial cells in the central nervous system.
Dr. Elmar Krause
Elmar Krause is investigating proteins which may be involved in the secretion of cytotoxic substances using high resolution microscopy and TIRF microscopy, patch clamp, FACS, as well as genetic engineering and biochemical methods.
Calcium and Ion Channels
Prof. Dr. Veit Flockerzi
School of Medicine, PZMS, SFB 894, TRR 152, IRTG 1830, FOR 2289
The Flockerzi lab investigates protein structures, functions and pharmacological influence of voltage-dependent Ca and ion channels (TRP family) and the significance of these for cardiac action, insulin release, pain perception and tumor development.
Prof. Dr. Adolfo Cavalié
School of Medicine, PZMS, SFB 894
The research group around Adolfo Cavalié investigates central aspects of the Ca homeostasis in mammalian cells, i.e. the function and regulation of ion channels localized in the plasma membrane such as voltage-dependent Ca channels.
Prof. Dr. Markus Hoth
School of Medicine, CIPMM, SFB 894, SFB 1027, IRTG 1830
Markus Hoth`s group focus on calcium channels of the immunological synapse and the understanding of certain diseases of the immune system.
Prof. Dr. Barbara Niemeyer
School of Medicine, CIPMM, SFB 894, SFB 1027, IRTG 1830
The Niemeyer lab investigates the regulation of calcium selective ion channels on a molecular level, by their environment and by other intracellular signalling cascades in primary T cells from healthy donors and from patiients with immune disorders.
PD Dr. Stephan Philipp
School of Medicine, PZMS, SFB 894
Stephan Philipp from the Flockerzi lab investigates protein structures, functions and pharmacological influence of voltage-dependent Ca and ion channels (TRP family) and the significance of these for cardiac action, insulin release, pain perception and tumor development.
Dr. Dalia Alansary
Dalia Alansary investigates consequences of disturbances of calcium homeostasis and dysfunction of channels related to calcium fluxes on the immune system.
Dr. Andreas Beck
The research focus of Andreas Beck is on the unctional characterization of TRP proteins and voltage-activated calcium channels and on TRP proteins in astrocytes and microglial cells.
Dr. Claudia Fecher-Trost
Claudia Fecher-Trost investigates the functional role of TRPV6 channels in the placenta, e.g. the contribution of TRPV6 to maternal/fetal Calcium transport and placental Calcium homeostasis.
Dr. Petra Weißgerber
School of Medicine, PZMS, TRR 157, SFB 894
The research focus of the Weißberger group is on the generation and analysis of gentically modified mouse lines and the analysis of ebryonic phenotypes and fertility disorders.
Dr. Bin Qu
Bin Qu is interested in the transport, polarization and self-organization of vesicles in T cells and analyses the dynamics of organelle transport and their influence on spatiotemporal Calcium dynamics at the immune synapse.
Sensory perception and signal transmission
Prof. Dr. Jutta Engel
School of Medicine, CIPMM, SFB 894, IRTG 1830, PP 1608
The group of Jutta Engel focusses on the function of mammalian hair cells and is especially interested in the electrical properties of hair cells and the transduction via release of neurotransmitter.
Prof. Dr. Trese Leinders-Zufall
The overall goal of the Leinders-Zufall group is to investigate molecular membrane mechanisms underlying the recognition of specific signaling molecules in the olfactory system with endocrine and immune function.
Prof. Dr. Frank Zufall
School of Medicine, CIPMM, SFB 894
The Zufall group is interested in the function of sensory systems, especially the sense of smell and links their work in mice with human gene defects causing disease.
Prof. Dr. Bruce Morgan
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Life Science, ZHMB, IRTG 1830
Bruce Morgan’s research focuses on cellular redox biology. In his group, new methods and techniques are developed to understand the regulation of different cellular redox species and their distribution within the cell. In addition, research is being conducted into how changes in the cellular redox species control the physiology and behaviour of cells.
Prof. Dr. Roy Lancaster
Goal of the research activities of the Lancaster group is to understand the function and mechanism of action of membrane proteins and membrane protein complexes on the basis of accurately determined three-dimensional structures, especially proteins involved in membrane transport processes and in signaling.
Prof. Dr. Manfred Schmitt
The Schmitt group deals with microbial and viral A/B toxins and their uptake, intracellular transport and mode of action in yeast and mammalian cells and aims to develop particle vaccines, novel antifungal drugs and cell-based screening systems for potential tumor inhibitors in humans.
Prof. Dr. Frank Schmitz
School of Medicine, PZMS, FOR 2289
The work of the Schmitz group focuses on the molecular and functional characterization of tonically active ribbon synapses in the retina. Mutations of genes involved in signaling at ribbon synapses, particularly at photoreceptor ribbon synapses, lead to retinal diseases that can result into blindness.
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Leticia Prates-Roma
The lab of Leticia Prates-Roma studies the role of cellular reduction-oxidation (redox) changes in pancreatic islets during the progression of insulin resistance to diabetes, as well as the causal role of redox changes in cardiac myocytes remodeling.
Prof. Dr. Alexandra Kiemer
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Pharmaceutical Biology
The Kiemer group deals with the characterization of cellular signal transduction pathways with a focus on pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and is especially interested in the connection between metabolic and inflammatory processes.
Clinical research
Prof. Dr. Michael Böhm
Michael Böhm is interested in particular on rhythmological questions (heart rhythm disorders), remodeling through mitochondrial oxidative stress (alteration processes of the heart muscle at cell level) and myocardial fibrosis (scarring processes of the heart muscle).
Prof. Dr. Michael Menger
Research in the Menger group focusses on inflammation biology, vascular pathophysiology, tumor biology and transplantation medicine.
Prof. Dr. Martina Sester
The scientific focus of the Sester group is on the regulation of cellular immune responses against clinically relevant pathogens and against donor tissue after organ transplantation.
Prof. Dr. Michael Zemlin
The research group of the Dept. of General Paediatrics and Neonatology carries out projects in the fields of basic and developmental immunology (focus on adaptive immune system), non-contact diagnostics including analysis of volatile organic substances as well as clinical studies.
Prof. Dr. Matthias Laschke
Research in the Laschke group focusses on inflammation biology, vascular pathophysiology, tumor biology and transplantation medicine.
Dr. Lars Kaestner
The research of Lars Kaestner focuses on circulation-related cellular signalling especially of red blood cells with the aim of developing approaches for new pharmacological therapies.
Prof. Dr. Peter Lipp
School of Medicine, PZMS, SFB 894
The research focus of the Lipp group is on cardiologically and clinically oriented basic research. The group wants to understand the cellular causes and functions of cardiac arrhythmias with the aim of developing approaches for new pharmacological therapies.
Prof. Dr. Claudia Rübe
School of Medicine, BMBF-Verbundprojekt
The Rübe lab investigates the importance of radiation-induced DNA damage, both in vitro and in vivo in normal and tumor tissues by using different mouse models or analyzing human tissue samples.
Prof. Dr. Danilo Fliser
The scientific focus of the Fliser group is on research into cardiovascular complications and progression reduction in patients with chronic kidney disease.
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Daniela Yildiz
School of Medicine, PZMS, ZHMB
The scientific interest of the Yildiz group is the in-depth investigation of the immunological and molecular regulatory processes of ADAM proteases in acute and chronic pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases for the development of specific treatment options.
Prof. Dr. Friedrich Grässer
Friedrich Grässer is interested in the contribution of the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) to the development of various human tumours with the aim to uncover the contribution of virus-coded microRNAs and virus-coded proteins to tumor development.
Prof. Dr. Matthias Hannig
The Hannig group investigates the elucidation of bioadhesion processes on oral surfaces at the molecular level and aims to create conditions for the development of new preventive strategies for inhibiting pathogenic biofilms as the cause of caries and periodontal disease.
Prof. Dr. Klaus Faßbender
The Faßbender group is active in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, as well as in the field of stroke research and uses a wide range of methods, ranging from basic scientific to clinical approaches..
PD Dr. Dominik Linz
Dominik Linz is interested in particular on rhythmological questions (heart rhythm disorders), remodeling through mitochondrial oxidative stress (alteration processes of the heart muscle at cell level) and myocardial fibrosis (scarring processes of the heart muscle).
Dr. Mathias Hohl
Mathias Hohl is interested in particular on rhythmological questions (heart rhythm disorders), remodeling through mitochondrial oxidative stress (alteration processes of the heart muscle at cell level) and myocardial fibrosis (scarring processes of the heart muscle).
Statistics and Clinical Studies
PD Dr. Ingrid Kindermann
As head of the Clinical Study Center, Ingrid Kindermann takes care of patients who participate in clinical studies with new drugs and therapy procedures.
Prof. Dr. Stefan Wagenpfeil
The institute of Stefan Wagenpfeil supports clinical research and patient care at the Clinical Center through scientific cooperation in the field of biostatistical analysis and medical information processing.
Dr. Thimoteus Speer
Thimoteus Speer deals with cardiovascular complications and progression reduction in patients with chronic kidney disease and supports the Institute of Medical Biometry, Epidemiology and Medical Informatics through scientific cooperation in the field of biostatistical analysis and medical information processing.
Dr. Christian Werner
Christian Werner deals with cardiovascular complications and progression reduction in patients with chronic kidney disease and supports the Institute of Medical Biometry, Epidemiology and Medical Informatics through scientific cooperation in the field of biostatistical analysis and medical information processing.
Dr. Stephen Zewinger
Stephen Zewinger deals with cardiovascular complications and progression reduction in patients with chronic kidney disease and supports the Institute of Medical Biometry, Epidemiology and Medical Informatics through scientific cooperation in the field of biostatistical analysis and medical information processing.
Prof. Dr. Quoc Thai Dinh
The research focus of the Dinh group is on respiratory diseases such as bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung tumors.
Prof. Dr. Robert Bals
The work of the Bals Group focuses on the investigation of inflammatory processes as part of innate immunity and how these processes are involved in diseases such as asthma, COPD or lung cancer.
Genetics and Epigenetics
Prof. Dr. Eckart Meese
The group of Eckhart Meese deals with questions on the genetic causes of tumor diseases and the development of the human genome.
Prof. Dr. Jörn Walter
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Life Science
The research of the Walter group focuses on epigenetic processes of gene regulation on the cellular and organismic level, especially on epigenetic regulation mediated by DNA methylation.
Prof. Dr. Jens Mayer
Jens Mayer analyses human endogenous retrovirus-coded proteins with regard to their relevance for human biology.
Dr. Nicole Ludwig
The main focus of the junior research group is on a class of small RNA molecules (miRNAs) and their importance in various diseases.
Simulation and Modeling
Prof. Dr. Verena Wolf
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Life Science
The group of Verena Wolf is focussed around stochastic modeling and analysis techniques, particularly in discrete-state Markov processes and stochastic hybrid systems that describe gene regulatory networks.
Dr. Matthias Engel
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Life Science
The main topic of Matthias Engel`s research is the investigation of nucleoside derivatives with potential antibiotic activity.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Lengauer
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Life Science, MPI Informatics
The research focus of the Lengauer group is on computational biology, combinatorial optimization in science and engineering and computational chemistry.
Prof. Dr. Heiko Rieger
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Physics, SFB 1027, ZBP
Research in the Rieger group ranges from theoretical biophysics over statistical and computational physics to modeling and simulation of biological system, with a current focus on the biophysics of the immune system, the physics of cancer and collective phenomena in active matter like growing tissues and swarms of bacteria.
Prof. Dr. Christian Wagner
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Physics
Christian Wagner’s research group focuses on self-organisation in non-equilibrium systems and the fluid dynamics of complex fluids (polymers, gels or blood).
Prof. Dr. Karin Jacobs
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Physics, SFB 1027
The group of Karin Wagner is investigating e.g. the properties of thin films using modern methods of surface physics.
Prof. Dr. Markus Bischoff
Inter alia, the group of Markus Bischoff is interested in biophysical methods in combination with microbial genetic engineering for the physical modeling of bacterial cell processes.
Dr. Jean-Baptiste Fleury
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Physics, SFB 1027
Jean-Baptiste Fleury explores the properties of droplet based microfluidics, which might be used for combinatorial applications in chemistry and biotechnology.
Prof. Dr. Volkhard Helms
Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, SFB 1027
Research in the Helms group focusses on biomolecular simulations, protein protein interactions, photophysics of Green Fluorescent Protein and the development of mesoscale force fields.
Prof. Dr. Albrecht Ott
Faculty of Natural Science and Technology/Physics, SFB 1027
The group of Albrecht Ott is conducting research in the field of biological physics and uses experimental, statistical-physical methods to describe selected biological systems.
Prof. Dr. Ludger Santen
Faculty of Natural Science and Technology/Physics, SFB 1027
The Santen group analizes the microscopic mechanisms that govern the dynamical evolution of selected protein and bacterial biofilms and the cargo transport driven by teams of molecular motors.
Prof. Dr. Ralf Seemann
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology/Physics, SFB 1027
Jean-Baptiste Fleury explores the properties of droplet based microfluidics, which might be used for combinatorial applications in chemistry and biotechnology.
Dr. Reza Shaebani
Faculty of Natural Science and Technology/Physics, SFB 1027
Reza Shaebani aims at understanding active transport in the presence of a processivity gradient induced by an inhomogeneous chemical stimulus in the environment or by the variation of the cytoskeletal anisotropy.