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DBM Report 2014 Department of Biomedicine Report 2014–2016 Department of Biomedicine Report 2014–2016 biomedizin.unibas.ch Impressum Konzept: DBM, Advolis GmbH, Basel Redaktion: Manuela Bernasconi, Dr. Frank Neumann Gestaltung, Layout, Satz: giselaburkhalter.ch Fotos: basile-bornand.com, Dr. Frank Neumann, sublim photography Druck: Steudler Press AG biomedizin.unibas.ch © DBM 2017 Content Preface 6 International PhD Program in Biomedicine 8 Mission Statement 12 New DBM Building 14 Organization 16 Key Data 2016 17 Scientific Advisory Board 18 Executive Committee 20 Council of the Department 21 Locations 22 Research Groups 24 Newly Appointed Professors 26 Core Facilities 30 43 Focal Area Neurobiology Bernhard Bettler . Molecular Neurobiology Synaptic Plasticity 44 Josef Bischofberger . Cellular Neurophysiology 46 Raphael Guzman . Brain Ischemia and Regeneration 48 Josef Kapfhammer . Developmental Neurobiology and Regeneration 50 Matthias Liechti . Psychopharmacology Research 52 Raija Lindberg . Tobias Derfuss . Clinical Neuroimmunology 54 Albert Neutzner . Peter Meyer . Ocular Pharmacology and Physiology 56 Eline Pecho-Vrieseling . Neuronal Development and Degeneration 58 Tania Rinaldi Barkat . Brain and Sound 60 Nicole Schaeren-Wiemers . Neurobiology 62 Michael Sinnreich . Neuromuscular Research 64 Susan Treves . Thierry Girard . Perioperative Patient Safety 66 68 Focal Area Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Andrea Banfi . Cell and Gene Therapy 70 Daniel Bodmer . Inner Ear Research 72 Marijke Brink . Cardiobiology 74 Christian De Geyter . Gynecological Endocrinology 76 Department of Biomedicine . Report 2014–2016 3 Content Beat Kaufmann . Cardiovascular Molecular Imaging 78 Stephan Krähenbühl . Clinical Pharmacology 80 Gabriela Kuster Pfister . Myocardial Research 82 Claudia Lengerke . Stem Cells and Hematopoiesis 84 Javier Lopez-Rios . Development and Evolution 86 Anna Marsano . Cardiac Surgery and Engineering 88 Ivan Martin . Tissue Engineering 90 Sara Meyer . Myeloid Malignancies 92 Magdalena Müller-Gerbl . Musculoskeletal Research 94 Therese Resink . Signal Transduction 96 Michael Roth . Michael Tamm . Pulmonary Cell Research 98 Radek Skoda . Experimental Hematology 100 Verdon Taylor . Embryology and Stem Cell Biology 102 Rolf Zeller . Aimée Zuniga . Developmental Genetics 104 106 Focal Area Oncology Nicola Aceto . Cancer Metastasis 108 Mohamed Bentires-Alj . Tumor Heterogeneity Metastasis and Resistance 110 Gerhard Christofori . Tumor Biology 112 Sven Cichon . Human Genomics 114 Viola Heinzelmann . Ovarian Cancer Research 116 Giandomenica Iezzi . Cancer Immunotherapy 118 Peter Itin . Dermatology 120 Luigi Mariani . Brain Tumor Biology 122 Olivier Pertz . Cell Migration and Neuritogenesis 124 Primo Schär . Genome Plasticity 126 Jürg Schwaller . Childhood Leukemia 128 Giulio Spagnoli . Oncology Surgery 130 Matthias Wymann . Cancer- and Immunobiology 132 Alfred Zippelius . Christoph Rochlitz . Cancer Immunology 134 4 Department of Biomedicine . Report 2014–2016 136 Focal Area Immunology Christoph Berger . Translational Immunology 138 Claudia Cavelti-Weder . Translational Diabetes 140 Gennaro De Libero . Experimental Immunology 142 Marc Donath . Diabetes Research 144 Adrian Egli . Applied Microbiology Research 146 Magdalena Filipowicz Sinnreich . Liver Immunology 148 Daniela Finke . Developmental Immunology 150 Daniel Haag-Wackernagel . Integrative Biology 152 Sinuhe Hahn . Prenatal Medicine 154 Markus Heim . Hepatology 156 Christoph Hess . Immunobiology 158 Hans Hirsch . Transplantation Virology 160 Georg Hollaender . Pediatric Immunology 162 Lukas Jeker . Molecular Immune Regulation 164 Nina Khanna . Infection Biology 166 Carolyn King . Immune Cell Biology 168 Thomas Klimkait . Molecular Virology 170 Diego Kyburz . Experimental Rheumatology 172 Matthias Mehling . Translational Neuroimmunology 174 Jan Niess . Gastroenterology 176 Ed Palmer . Transplantation Immunology and Nephrology 178 Daniel Pinschewer . Experimental Virology 180 Mike Recher . Immunodeficiency 182 Antonius Rolink . Developmental and Molecular Immunology 184 Simona Rossi Girard . Immunoregulation 186 Martin Stern . Immunotherapy 188 Marten Trendelenburg . Clinical Immunology 190 Roxane Tussiwand . Immune Regulation 192 DBM Publications 2014–2016 194 Department of Biomedicine . Report 2014–2016 5 Preface 6 Department of Biomedicine . Report 2014–2016 The Department of Biomedicine (DBM) unites the lab- Facilities are for the DBM only, others are joint ven- oratory-based research of the faculty of medicine of tures between our department with the Biozentrum the University of Basel. In the DBM, the laboratories of (Faculty of Natural Sciences) and also the D-BSSE In- the former “pre-clinical institutes” as well as the clin- stitute of the ETH Zürich in Basel. The access to these ical divisions of the University Hospitals are brought key technologies is of immeasurable value to us. together under a common leadership with the goal to focus their efforts and to strive for excellence in bio- Since January 2014, the DBM obtained new labo- medical research. In the 16 years since the depart- ratories on the 2nd floor of the DBM-Hebelstrasse, ment was founded, we enjoyed continuous growth where the former medical library has been convert- and flourishing of our research. By providing a bridge ed to lab space. This much-needed expansion has al- between basic science and clinical medicine, the lowed recruitment of additional junior faculty support- DBM is an important component in the University of ed by SNF. A major milestone is the project for a new Basel’s strategic plan for the Life Sciences and a key DBM building, which will replace the old Biozentrum player in the national “Swiss Personalized Health Ini- located at Klingelbergstrasse 70. The new DBM build- tative” (SPHN). The DBM concentrates on research in ing is scheduled to be inaugurated in 2023 and will four focal areas: Oncology, Immunology, Neurobiolo- unite all DBM research groups in a single location sit- gy, and Stem Cells/Regenerative Medicine. uated in close vicinity of the new Biozentrum and the new D-BSSE of the ETH. This new campus will pro- DBM’s research groups obtain a large proportion of vide an excellent basis for expanding collaborative re- their research funds from competitive grants by na- search between clinical and basic science at the high- tional foundations, the EU and other countries. More est competitive level. than 50 % of the positions are funded by third par- ties. The DBM has attracted individual grants as well The DBM is committed to the highest quality and in- as synergy grants from the European Research Coun- novation in research. This report portraits the scientif- cil (ERC), the Swiss Initiative in Systems Biology (Sys- ic excellence and enthusiasm of our research groups. temsX.ch) and the Swiss National Science Founda- I wish you pleasant reading. tion (SNSF). This report summarizes the activities of over 60 DBM research groups during the period of 2014–2016. The reports are grouped thematically according to the four focal areas. Each research group has selected their most relevant publications from this period. A com- plete list of all publications can be found in the annex Prof. Dr. Radek Skoda of this report. The DBM and our research groups are Head of the Department of Biomedicine regularly evaluated by the Scientific Advisory Board that consists of eight internationally recognized ex- perts. During their yearly visits, the Advisory Board members evaluate and make recommendations on how to improve the organization of the department. They also provide an important basis for decisions, in- cluding promotions and changes in future directions. Key to the success of the DBM has been the enthu- siasm of our scientists and clinicians from over 40 countries to communicate and to perform inter- and trans-disciplinary work resulting in benchmark bio- medical research. The research is supported by a growing number of Core Facilities. While some Core Department of Biomedicine . Report 2014–2016 7 International PhD Program in Biomedicine Dissertations 2014–2016 Group Bernhard Bettler As of 2015 all PhD students of the DBM are part of Lisa Adelfinger (2014) the International PhD program in Biomedicine. Within Modulation of GABAB receptor this interdisciplinary environment more than 120 PhD signaling by associated proteins and students from 28 countries are trained on the post- phosphorylation graduate level aiming the PhD degree from the Fac- David Berner (2016) ulty of Science. Our program provides in-depth ex- GABAB receptor-associated KCTD perimental competences and scientific knowledge in proteins as molecular linkers to down- a wide range of disciplines of basic and clinical re- stream signaling complexes search. Our interdisciplinary PhD Program is associ- ated with the PhD Program in Molecular and Cellular Group Josef Bischofberger Biology offered by the Biozentrum. Every PhD student Stefanie Heigele (2015) at the DBM receive theoretical and practical training, Bidirectional GABAergic control of and conduct a research project under the supervision AP firing in newly-generated young of a DBM research group leader recognized by the granule cells of the adult hippocampus Faculty of Science, and monitored by a PhD thesis ad- visory committee. A rich program of courses, lectures, Group Daniel Bodmer workshops and conferences organized by the Depart- Marijana Sekulic (2015) ment of Biomedicine and the Biozentrum are offered Characterization of the excitation- to the PhD students. PhD fellows
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