Proteostasis in Neurodegenerative Disease

Thomas Jahn Schaller Research Group at the University of Heidelberg and the DKFZ Proteostasis in Neurodegenerative Disease (B180) German Cancer Research Center Im Neuenheimer Feld 581 69120 Heidelberg Phone:  +49 6221 42-1551 Email:  t.jahn@dkfz.de Website:  http://www.dkfz.de/en/proteostase-neurogenerativer-erkrankungen/index.php

Research Summary:

The overall goal of our research group is to advance our mechanistic understanding of the molecular events triggered by protein misfolding and the subsequent impact of protein aggregates on cellular integrity. Using an interdisciplinary research approach and techniques ranging from biophysics via cell-culture assays to Drosophila models, we focus on the cellular factors and molecular mechanisms of neuronal degeneration. Of particular interest is the accumulation of aggregated protein species composed of the Amyloid-beta peptide or tau protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease. We are working towards a better understanding of the initial events in the disease onset as well as the identification of important cellular stress sensors that can be used as disease-specific markers or therapeutic targets for the clinical intervention in these protein-misfolding diseases.

Structure of the Group: