Prof. Dr. Stefan Eimer
Abt. Strukturelle Zellbiologie
Institut für Zellbiologie und Neurowissenschaften
Goethe Universität Frankfurt
Campus Riedberg | Biologicum
Max-von-Laue-Str. 13
60438 Frankfurt a. M.
Germany
Tel.: 49 (0)69-798 42012
E-Mail: eimer@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Scientific Focus
The main focus of our research is to study the regulation of vesicular membrane trafficking required for neuro-peptide release and cellular homoeostasis linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’ disease. We are using the transparent nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a multicellular model system to determine the cellular function of Parkinson’s disease associated genes as well as their genetic interactions with other pathways and cellular metabolism. Thereby, we are trying to understand the early molecular and cellular alteration leading to the development of Parkinson’s disease. This research has led us to study in detail how mitochondrial quality control and homeostasis are controlled by membrane trafficking and selective autophagy (mitophagy) of mitochondria. Currently, we are investigating how impairment of mitophagy is affecting neuronal activity, function, aging and survival, in order to understand the precise cellular mechanisms leading to neuro-degeneration.
Methods
C. elegans genetics, molecular and cell biology, and biochemistry
High-resolution imaging and electron microscopy
CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing
Phenotypic and behavioral analysis in C. elegans
Selected Publications
Kamp F., Exner N., Lutz A.K., Wender N., Hegermann J., Brunner B., Nuscher B., Bartels T., Giese A., Beyer K., Eimer S., Winklhofer K.F., Haass C. (2010) Inhibition of mitochondrial fusion by a–synuclein is rescued by PINK1, Parkin, and DJ-1. EMBO J., 29(20):3571-89.
Sasidharan N., Sumakovic M., Hannemann M., Hegermann J., Liewald J.F., Olendrowitz C., Koenig S., Grant B.D., Rizzoli S.O., Gottschalk A., Eimer S. (2012) Selective regulation of dense core vesicle release by a novel Rab cascade in Caenorhabditis elegans. PNAS; 109(46):18944-9.
Kittelmann M., Liewald J.F., Hegermann J., Schultheis C., Brauner M., Steuer Costa W., Wabnig S., Eimer S.*, Gottschalk A.* (2013) In vivo synaptic recovery following optogenetic hyperstimulation. (*corresponding authors) PNAS, 110(32): E3007-3016.
Kittelmann M., Hegermann J., Goncharov A., Taru H., Ellisman M.H., Richmond J.E., Jin Y., Eimer S. (2013) Liprin-α/SYD-2 determines the size of dense projections in presynaptic active zones in C. elegans. JCB, 203(5):849-863.
Jimenez-Orgaz A, Kvainickas A, Nägele H, Denner J, Eimer S, Dengjel J, Steinberg F. (2017) Control of RAB7 activity and localization through the retromer-TBC1D5 complex enables RAB7-dependent mitophagy. EMBO J., 37(2):235-254.