Research areas:
Our research is focused on the role of complex phospho- and sphingolipids in membrane biology, using the combined power of mouse genetics, genetic modification, molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology.

Based on their chemical structures elaborated by lipidomic technologies we study

• The structure - function relationship of mono- and polyenoic fatty acid substituted complex phospholipids in lipid bilayers of membranes in vivo in mouse mutants, the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) and Δ6 fatty acid desaturase (FADS2) deficient mouse models.
• Sphingolipid-metabolism and functions in mouse mutants with deletion of key synthesizing and degrading enzymes: cerebroside synthase (UDP-galactosyl-ceramide transferase, CGT), acid (SMPD-1) and neutral sphingomyelinases (SMPD-2 and SMPD-3).
• Molecular biology and - pathology of oligodendroglia, myelin and myelination in CNS. Proteolipid protein (PLP) and dysmyelinoses.
• Glutamate neurotransmitter transporters of CNS GLAST-1 (EAAT-1), GLT-1 (EAAT2) and EAAC-1 (EAAT3) in excitatory neurotransmission and neurotoxicity.

Key molecular biochemical, molecular biological and cell-biological techniques of the laboratory

Membrane protein analytical tools, recombinant protein techniques.
Chemical, enzymatic and lipidomic techniques in the analysis of complex lipids.
Our research is focused on the role of complex phospho- and sphingolipids in membrane biology.
Mouse genetics: transgenic, conventional and conditional null allelic mouse mutants as in vivo model systems in the functional analysis of basic and pathological cellular processes in CNS and metabolic diseases.

Past and present main lines of research and discoveries

• Lipid Metabolismm
  1. Mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids:
     a) Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1),
     b) Δ6 fatty acid desaturase (FADS2) studied in the scd-1and fads2-deficient mouse models
  2. Unraveling the long chain sphingosine base metabolism.
  3. Sphingomelinases in cell biology:
     a) acid (SMPD1) and neutral sphingomyelinases (SMPD2 and 3), structures, functions, molecular biology and pathology.
     b) The smpd1, smpd2 and smpd3-null mouse mutant models
• Neurochemistry and biology
  4. Understanding the structure and function of the membrane lipid bilayer and integral membrane proteins: Oligodendrocyte biology, structure, function, and genetic defects of CNS-myelin membrane
     a) myelin integral proteolipid protein (PLP).
     b) cerebrosides and sulfatides in oligodendroglia and myelin, studied in the
     c) plp-/- and ceramide-UDP-galactose-transferase (CGT) null mutants.
     Serendipity: Discovery and functional characterization of the first Glutamate neurotransmitter transporter GLAST-1 (EAAT-1). Role of GLAST1 (EAAT1) and EAAC-1 (EAAT3) in excitatory neurotransmission and neurotoxicity, studied in the glast1- and eaac1-null mouse mutants.
• Translational biochemistry
  Structure and assembly of HDL-particles, processing of apo-lipoproteins.
  Development and clinical application of LDL-apheresis: the entry to a novel, widely applicable therapeutic principle

Financial support by

• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
  
• Fritz Thyssen Stiftung
  
• Centre of Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC)
  
• CECAD: Cluster of Excellence: Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases