University of Cologne, Institute of Neurophysiology

University of Cologne, Institute of Neurophysiology

The Institute of Neurophysiology is interested in several aspects of the signal transduction pathways in stem cells (embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells) and their transposition into the cellular function and genetics (functional genomics). The relevance of this work both for fundamental research in cellular biology, and for possible medical applications such as tissue repair, led to the early creation of specialised units at the Institute of Neurophysiology. Group members come from various disciplines, all of which have a fundamental interest in stem cell differentiation. The main areas of expertise are in genetics, the use of knockout technologies, the genetical engineering of stem cells, signal transduction and the extracellular matrix as well as optimised transplant models and mouse analytics. Groups in Cologne use both adult and embryonic stem cells. Their approach to both cell systems is comparative. This not only ensures maximum efficiency, but also international competitiveness. The focus of work lies on differentiation into cardiac, neuronal and haemangioblastic cells (angiogenesis, tumour vascularisation). Among the highlights of the Cologne working group's work is the explanation and precise measurement of the physiological/functional and morphological properties of cell derivatives developed from embryonic stem cells.

Jürgen Hescheler

Jürgen Hescheler
Prof. Hescheler, the Director of the Institute of Neurophysiology at the University of Cologne, has been working with embryonic stem cells of the mouse for over 14 years. Beginning with studies on cellular signal transduction, he has defined many important basic aspects both for fundamental research and for clinical applications. Prof. Hescheler was the first to perform electrophysiological experiments on stem cells and is a pioneer in establishing stem cell research for application in transplantation medicine.

Prof. Hescheler is the Coordinator of FunGenES. The Coordinator is responsible for all aspects of the interface between the project and the EC. The Coordinator is the focal point for all technical and administrative content of the project and leads the complete EU-wide partnership.

Agapios Sachinidis

Agapios Sachinidis
Prof. Sachinidis' scientific work relates to cellular and molecular studies of signal transduction cascades in cardiovascular cells as well as in embryonic stem cells. The signalling studies together with functional genetics play a major role in the understanding of developmental processes of stem cells as well as of cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis. Within the FunGenES consortium, Prof. Sachinidis is looking for new genes involved in the early and late stage of cardiac development.

In addition, Prof. Sachinidis is the Scientific Manager of FunGenES. His responsibility lies in the scientific supervision of the project, making sure that synergies between the partners are optimised, that the scientific work is efficiently coordinated and progress achieved by the international research community is monitored, and that FunGenES reaches its aims ahead of the state-of-the-art. Prof. Sachinidis is head of the central Knowledge Management group.

Located at the Institute of Neurophysiology of the University of Cologne are also the central FunGenES groups Optimising Synergy and Knowledge Management, performed by Johannes Winkler, Vitam Kodelja and Agapios Sachinidis

Johannes Winkler

Knowledge Management The research activity of each sub-project is carried out in several steps with a feedback mechanism, in which a knowledge management task is included. Knowledge management will be a continuous activity during the project duration. FunGenES will permanently monitor progress of relevant research results at international level, watch results of work carried out by the FunGenES sub-projects and provide recommendations to adapt the project research work, in order to avoid duplication of effort and to optimise investment of resources.

Vitam Kodelja

Optimising Synergy The aim is to maximise synergy and integration of FunGenES research resources and activities. Led at project start the aim is to coordinate the partners' cooperation to ensure that results achieved by the different sub-projects and partners are comparable, can be easily exchanged and consolidated, are reliable according to commonly established criteria. It also aims at optimising synergy of combined effort and expertise of partners with different technological background, sharing of knowledge and best collaboration through the use of commonly agrees procedures and tools. It will lead to a homogenisation of work methods including the definition of common models, tools, techniques, protocols for data generation, introduction of management and quality control procedures and of web-based (virtual) collaboration tools, etc.

http://www.uni-koeln.de/med-fak/physiologie/np/index.htm