Research

Besides neurons, glial cells are the main constituents of the nervous system. They fulfil manifold functions such as the supply of neurons with nutrients, the regulation of the extracellular ion millieu, the modulation of synaptic transmission and neurovascular coupling. We study interactions between neurons and glial cells such as astrocytes to unravel how glial cells affect neuronal performance. We use calcium and cAMP imaging as well as immunohistology.

Odour information is detected by sensory neurons, the olfactory receptor neurons, in tha nasal cavity and transmitted in the form of action potentials into the brain. The first relais station of odour information processing in the brain is the olfactory bulb. Here, odour information is translated into a code of activity and transmitted to the cortex where odour perception takes place. We are interested in the modulatory action of purinergic signalling, i.e. ATP, ADP, adenosine and their respective receptors, on neuronal performance such as excitability and synaptic transmission. We employ patch-clamp recordings and calcium imaging.

How do astrocytes respond to inflammation of the brain evoked by cytokines passing the blood-brain-barrier during COVID-19? We investigate this topic together with the Institute of Neuropathology at the UKE (Prof. Dr. Markus Glatzel). COVID-19 primarily is an inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract, but also affects other organs such as the brain. Cytokines released by immune cells upon inflammation result in secondary inflammation of the brain parenchyma. We study the role of astrocytes in this neuroinflammation by immunhistological techniques.

In Collaboration with Manuel Friese and Christine Gee (Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg) we investigate how neuroinflammation affects neurons and glial cells in an animal model of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelits (EAE). Another disease we are interested in is cerebral malaria, which we study together with Thomas Jacobs (Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg). In particular, we are interested in astrocytes, neuromodulation by adenosine, as well as in cAMP signaling in the context of neuroinflammation. The projects are part of the collaborative research center SFB 1328 "Adenine Nucleotides in Immunity and Inflammation".