Curriculum Vitae german
Education
1972-1978 Study of biology at the University of Kiel and University of ReykjavikAcademic Appointments
1978 Graduate student at the Institute of Biochemistry, University of Kiel1978-1983 Postgraduate fellow at the Institute of Biochemistry, University of Kiel
1983 PhD thesis on ACTH receptors
1984-1987 Research fellow at the Laboratory of Neurosciences, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
1987-1995 Research fellow at the Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, ZMBH, University of Heidelberg
1994 Venia legendi in the field of Biochemistry on GABAA receptors
1995 Head of the "Clinical Research Group" at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Mainz
1996 Nomination for Professor of Molecular Psychopharmacology
1996 - 2018 Head of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Mainz
since 2018 Emeritus
Research Interests
The research group focuses on the pharmacology, physiology and biochemistry of the heteropentameric g-aminobutyric acid typ A (GABAA) receptors as well as some aspects of GABA transporter systems. The plasmamembrane inserted GABAA receptors belong to the largesuper family of ligand-gated ion-channels. The GABAA channel opens upon binding of the neurotransmitter GABA, allowing Cl- to follow its gradient and by thus hyperpolarizing, i.e., inhibiting, the cell. GABAA receptors are the targets of numerous drugs, e.g., benzodiazepines, barbiturates, some steroids and possibly ethanol.We evaluate properties of native GABAA receptors with electrophysiological (patch-clamp) and pharmacological methods (ligand binding on transient transfected cell membranes, native receptor preparations, ligand autoradiography). These studies are combined with molecular biology approaches, in which we generate chimeric and point mutated proteins. Our aim is to identify functional domains on individual GABAA receptor subunits contributing to the pharmacological, or physiological and/or pathophysiological properties of the resulting receptor channels.