Our Lab
Our research interests are focused on the understanding of the molecular mechanisms which lead to neurodegeneration in diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, or Alzheimer’s disease. These diseases are intimately associated with protein misfolding and aggregation in specific regions of the brain.
Because the molecular pathways involved in protein homeostasis are highly conserved, we employ a wide variety of model organisms, from the simple but powerful budding yeast to mammalian cell culture and mice, to study the origin of the problems.
Our ultimate goals are to develop novel therapeutic approaches for these and other related disorders. We are working closely together with clinicians in order to accelerate drug discovery efforts, translating basic research into clinical applications that will improve the lives of patients.
Research Areas
Protein misfolding, oligomerization and aggregation
Yeast models for Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease
Modulators of protein aggregation and toxicity
Microscopy-based methods for investigating the molecular nature of the toxic proteinaceous species in Parkinson’s disease
In vivo imaging using multi-photon microscopy
Development of novel therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative disease
News & Events
HEAT-Net Meeting
Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson ’s disease (PD), affect more than eleven million European citizens, and result in major suffering for patients and families, as [...]
Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson ’s disease (PD), affect more than eleven million European citizens, and result in major suffering for patients and [...]
Synuclein Meeting
It is our great pleasure to invite you to the next Synuclein Meeting. The meeting is entitled "Synuclein Meeting 2019: Where we are and where we need to [...]
Translocator protein ligand protects against neurodegeneration in the MPTP mouse model of Parkinsonism.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer's disease. PD is a movement disorder with characteristic motor features that arise due to the loss [...]
Nacht des Wissen
On January 26 at the Neurosciences Research Building (BIN/DZNE) we celebrated the 4th Night of Science in Göttingen. For the first time since the building´s openings in 2016, [...]
Protein Missfolding Meeting
Life expectancy has increased and current world leading causes of death are agerelated diseases. Diverse of such disorders, including several neurodegenerative diseases and cancer, have been related to [...]
Selected Publications
Systematic Comparison of the Effects of Alpha-synuclein Mutations on Its Oligomerization and Aggregation
Aggregation of alpha-synuclein (ASYN) in Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites is the typical pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies. Furthermore, mutations in the gene encoding [...]
The mechanism of sirtuin 2–mediated exacerbation of alpha-synuclein toxicity in models of Parkinson disease
Sirtuin genes have been associated with aging and are known to affect multiple cellular pathways. Sirtuin 2 was previously shown to modulate proteotoxicity associated with age-associated neurodegenerative disorders [...]
Environmental and genetic factors support the dissociation between α-synuclein aggregation and toxicity
Synucleinopathies are a group of progressive disorders characterized by the abnormal aggregation and accumulation of α-synuclein (aSyn), an abundant neuronal protein that can adopt different conformations and biological [...]
Glycation potentiates α-synuclein-associated neurodegeneration in synucleinopathies
α-Synuclein misfolding and aggregation is a hallmark in Parkinson’s disease and in several other neurodegenerative diseases known as synucleinopathies. The toxic properties of α-synuclein are conserved from yeast [...]
α-synuclein interacts with PrPC to induce cognitive impairment through mGluR5 and NMDAR2B
Synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, are neurodegenerative disorders that are characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein (aSyn) in intracellular inclusions known as Lewy [...]
Nuclear localization and phosphorylation modulate pathological effects of Alpha-Synuclein
Alpha-synuclein (aSyn) is a central player in Parkinson’s disease (PD) but the precise molecular mechanisms underlying its pathogenicity remain unclear. It has recently been suggested that nuclear aSyn may [...]
