The Functional Genetics of Neurodegeneration and Neurological Disorders Working Group is recruiting for the next possible date
2 Master students (f/m/x)
Applications for PhD positions and postdoctoral positions are always welcome!
The Functional Genetics of Neurodegeneration and Neurological Disorders working group, led by Dr. Hans Zempel, PhD, is researching the pathological mechanisms of neurodegenerative and rare genetic neurological diseases. We are working to identify and characterize the factors that influence neuron and synaptic function. Rare genetic diseases often provide information on the development and treatment of age-related diseases, including those of a non-genetic nature - such as Alzheimer’s type dementia.
With the additional support of the CMMC, we use state-of-the-art microscopy, cell biology, genetic and biochemical methods to identify and characterize genetic and non-genetic factors of neurodegeneration of the central and peripheral nervous system.
Our research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms and therapy of
- Alzheimer’s type dementia and applied related tauopathies, such as Frontotemporal dementias (Pick's disease, corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear paralysis)
- Mitochondriopathies, such as polymerase gamma mutations
- Neurological diseases caused by cytoskeletal disorders, cellular transport disorders or neuronal migration disorders (hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), lissencephalopathies)
- 2-hydroxyglutarate aciduria and related syndromes
- Lysosomal storage disorders
- Neuronal cell polarity
We welcome initiatives for scientific collaboration and ideas for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
- Else-Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung
- Jürgen-Manchot-Stiftung
- Köln Fortune
Schützmann, M.*, Hasecke, F.*, Bachmann, S., Zielinski, M., Hänsch, S., Schröder, G., Zempel,H., Hoyer, W.
Endo-lysosomal Aβ concentration and pH enable formation of Aβ oligomers that potently induce Tau missorting.
BioRxiv. 2020.06.28.175885; doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.06.28.175885
Bell, M., Zempel, H.
Axonal TAU sorting in SH-SY5Y-derived neurons requires the C-terminal half but is independent of Ankyrin G. BioRxiv.
2020.06.26.173526;doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.06.26.173526
Zempel H, Dennissen FJA, Kumar Y, Luedtke J, Biernat J, Mandelkow EM, Mandelkow E.
Axodendritic sorting and pathological missorting of Tau are isoform-specific and determined by axon initial segment architecture.
J Biol Chem. 2017 Jul 21;292(29):12192-12207. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M117.784702. Epub 2017 May 23.<
PubMed PMID: 28536263
Zempel H, Sadzot B and Haag N.
Treatment Avenues for the Juvenile and Adult Onset Mitochondriopathies Alpers Syndrome, Ataxia Neuropathy Spectrum, MEMSA and PEO Caused by Polymerase-Gamma Mutations Ala467Thr and Trp748Ser.
SM J Neurol Neurosci. 2017; 3(2): 1013. Review.
Zempel H, Mandelkow EM.
Tau missorting and spastin-induced microtubule disruption in neurodegeneration: Alzheimer Disease and Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia.
Mol Neurodegener. 2015 Dec 21;10:68. doi: 10.1186/s13024-015-0064-1. Review.
PubMed PMID: 26691836
Zempel H, Mandelkow E.
Lost after translation: missorting of Tau protein and consequences for Alzheimer disease.
Trends Neurosci. 2014 Dec;37(12):721-32. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2014.08.004. Epub 2014 Sep 12. Review.
PubMed PMID: 25223701
Zempel H, Luedtke J, Kumar Y, Biernat J, Dawson H, Mandelkow E, Mandelkow EM.
Amyloid-β oligomers induce synaptic damage via Tau-dependent microtubule severing by TTLL6 and spastin.
EMBO J. 2013 Nov 13;32(22):2920-37. doi: 10.1038/emboj.2013.207. Epub 2013 Sep 24.
PubMed PMID: 24065130
Li X, Kumar Y, Zempel H, Mandelkow EM, Biernat J, Mandelkow E.
Novel diffusion barrier for axonal retention of Tau in neurons and its failure in neurodegeneration.
EMBO J. 2011 Oct 18;30(23):4825-37. doi: 10.1038/emboj.2011.376.
PubMed PMID: 22009197
Zempel H, Thies E, Mandelkow E, Mandelkow EM.
Abeta oligomers cause localized Ca(2+) elevation, missorting of endogenous Tau into dendrites, Tau phosphorylation, and destruction of microtubules and spines.
J Neurosci. 2010 Sep 8;30(36):11938-50. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2357-10.2010. Erratum in: J Neurosci. 2012 Apr 25;32(17):6052.
PubMed PMID: 20826658
Miura Y, Sakurai Y, Hayakawa M, Shimada Y, Zempel H, Sato Y, Hisanaga S, Endo T.
Translocation of lysosomal cathepsin D caused by oxidative stress or proteasome inhibition in primary cultured neurons and astrocytes. Biol Pharm Bull. 2010;33(1):22-8.
PubMed PMID: 20045930
| Academic education | |
| 08/2018 | Medical Approbation, University of Bonn & Medical thesis, magna cum laude (0,5) |
| 2015–2018 | Clinical Medicine, Student, University Bonn & Postdoc (50%), DZNE, Bonn |
| 12/2013 | PhD Thesis, Biochemistry, summa cum laude (1,0*), Hamburg University & Max-Planck Groups for Structural Molecular Biology |
| 2006–2008 | Clinical Medicine, Medical and Dental University Tokyo, Japan |
| 2005–2006 | Biophysics & Genetics, Kyoto University, Japan |
| 2002–2006 | Biochemistry & Biophysics, MSc in Biochemistry, Berlin University (FU) & Charité, Berlin, Germany |
| 2000–2002 | Abitur, with honors, top of class (grade 1,2) Gymnasium Oberasbach b. Nürnberg |
| 1999–2000 | High-School Diploma, with honors, Rancocas Valley High School, NJ, USA |
| Clinical course / work experience | |
| Since 09/2018 | Principal Investigator & Medical Doctor Institute for Human Genetics, University Clinic Cologne |
| 04/2018–08/2018 | Chief Scientific Officer (Start-up company, EF incubator) MedXact technology ltd. (now Juniper Medical Computing), Berlin/London |
| 2017–2018 | Clinical Rotations: Neurology (Univ. Liège, Belgium), Surgery (Univ. Würzburg, Germany), Internal Medicine (Univ. La Laguna, Spain) |
| 2010–2017 | PhD & PostDoc by German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn & Max-Planck Group for Struct. & Mol. Biology, Hamburg |