Department of Cell Morphology and Molecular Neurobiology
Regulation of Oligodendrocyte Differentiation by the LRP1-receptor and downstream signaling pathways involving small GTPases
Oligodendrocytes are glia cells in the CNS, which are responsible for the electric isolation of neuronal axons. They develop from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), which are born in the subventricular zone of the brain, migrate to their targets and differentiate into mature oligodendrocytes. Both the differentiation behavior of oligodendrocytes and the involved regulators during that process are still less understood. So the major aspect of this project is to analyse the differentiation behavior of oligodendrocytes, as well as characterising downstream intracellular signaling pathways involving small GTPases.
Short academic CV:
- 2009-2014: Studies of Biology at the Ruhr University Bochum
- 2012: Bachelor of Science, Dept. of Cell Morphology and Molecular Neurobiology „Optimizing an established oligosphere culture-system, derived from embryonic mouse tissue and adaption to the organism Rattus norvegicus”
- 2014: Master of Science, Dept. of Cell Morphology and Molecular Neurobiology „Extracellular matrix-dependent migration behavior of murine oligodendrocyte precursor cells”
- Since November 2014: Scientific research assistant at the Department of Cell morphology and Molecular Neurobiology
Applied methods
Cell biology:
- Primary cultures of oligodendrocytes
- Immunocytochemistry
- Immunohistochemistry
- Microscopy (Axiophot, Axiovert, LSM)
Molecular biology:
- Isolation of RNA and DNA
- Synthesis of cDNA
- PCR
Protein biochemistry:
- Isolation of Proteins
- SDS-Page
- Western Blot
