Education

Pre-Diplom (Chemistry) University of Wuerzburg, Germany, 1993 - Diplom (Physical Chemistry) University of Wuerzburg, Germany, 1996 - Ph.D. (Physical Chemistry and Physiology) Theodor Boveri Institute, Wuerzburg, Germany, 2000

Research interests

Image correlation spectroscopy • surface spectroscopy/microscopy • bio-molecular kinetics and dynamics • signal transduction • biological membranes • bone and joint development • nano-particles • molecular diffusion

Certain domains and regions on the cell membrane are thought to be important centers for cell signaling, e.g. activation of signaling of receptors or endocytosis of various proteins. These domains (e.g. caveolae, rafts or coated pits) are enriched in different marker proteins like caveolin-1, Ap-2 or GPI anchored proteins. My main interest is focused on the distribution and aggregation of serine threonine or tyrosine kinase receptors on the cell surface in these domains and how this clustering and rearrangement of the receptors by various stimuli can effect their signal transduction pathways.

Image Correlation Spectroscopy (ICS) and Image Cross-Correlation Spectroscopy (ICCS) are powerful tools to study the distribution of membrane proteins. By labeling the protein of interest fluorescently, taking high magnification confocal images and implying ICS calculations it is possible to get quantitative information about the average number of clusters per unit area and the average number of proteins in these clusters. By labeling proteins with different fluorescent dyes it is possible by using ICCS to calculate the percent of co-localization between these proteins.

Combining ICS and ICCS studies with standard molecular biological tools, e.g. immunoprecipitations, western-blotting or reporter gene assays, I try to get a better understanding of the connection between the aggregation of receptors in specific regions on the cell surface and the initiation of signal transduction pathways.

 

Publications

• F. Pohl, S. Hassel, A. Nohe, M. Flentje, P. Knaus, W. Sebald, O. Koelbl. Radiation-induced suppression of the Bmp2 signal transduction pathway in the pluripotent mesenchymal cell line C2C12: An in vitro model for prevention of heterotopic ossification by radiotherapy. Radiat Res. 2003 Mar; 159(3):345-50.

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