Prof. Dr. Katrin Marcus, Medical Proteom-Center, Faculty of Medicine
Research Programme:
As a Jun.-Prof. for Proteomics and group leader of the “Brain Proteomics” group at the Medizinische Proteom-Center, Bochum my expertise is in the field of proteomics with a special focus on neurodegeneration. Together with several collaboration partners (Prof. Dr. G. Auburger, Molecular Neurogenetics, JW Goethe University Frankfurt; Prof. Dr. M. Fasano, Dept. Struct. & Funct. Biol., Center of Neuroscience, Univ. of Insubria, Varese, Italy; Prof. Dr. M. Gerlach, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Wuerzburg; Prof. Dr. J. Klose, Institute f. Human Genetics, Charité Berlin; Jun.-Prof. C. Meier, Neuroanatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum; Prof. Dr. Y. M. Park, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, Korea; Prof. Dr. P. Riederer, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Wuerzburg; Prof. Dr. O. Rieß, Inst. f. Human Genetics, Universiy of Tuebingen; Prof. Dr. F. van Leeuwen, NIBR, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; PD Dr. G. Hoeglinger, Philipps-University Marburg etc.) we are especially focusing on the elucidation of the pathomechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer‘s and Parkinson’s disease (AD and PD).
By the application of state-of-the-art proteomics methods and the development of new high-performance technologies new candidate proteins (biomarkers) that allow for an early diagnosis of those disorders have been revealed. For that purpose a comprehensive, statistically validated analysis strategy was developed including sophisticated sample (brain) preparation, protein separation using the 2D-DIGE technology, detection of modified (especially phosphorylated, ubiquitinated and oxidized) proteins, protein identification by mass spectrometry and validation of the identified proteins by immunoblotting, qPCR, and immunohistochemistry. Continuously new and complementary techniques such as one and multi-dimensional LC-based protein and peptide separation as well as new methods for the analysis of membrane proteins, detection of modified proteins and mass spectrometry based protein/peptide quantitation methods are developed in parallel.