Background
Addictive disorders are among the most common psychiatric illnesses of all. Biological, genetic, epigenetic, social and psychological factors play a significant role in the development of addiction.
The working group deals with various topics in the field of addiction medicine. In this context, we work on questions relating to neurobiology as well as the social effects of various addictions, such as stigmatization or delinquency. In addition to basic research, epidemiological and clinical studies are also carried out. The working group deals intensively with substance-related addictions (alcohol, nicotine, medication, illegal drugs).
Another focus is the close clinical and scientific cooperation with transplant medicine, particularly with regard to patients with ethyltoxic liver cirrhosis.
Overarching goals
The overarching aim of our research group is to identify epigenetic markers for predicting the course of treatment in patients with addiction disorders.
- Epigenetic changes in volume- and appetite-regulating peptides in patients with alcohol and nicotine dependence during withdrawal
- The role of the microbiome in addiction disorders
- Further development of mental health care structures in patients with ethyltoxic liver cirrhosis
- Animal model of alcohol dependence
- Investigation of the regulation of addiction disorders in post mortem collectives
MHH-internal:
- Cooperation with the transplant outpatient clinic (IFB-Tx funded project)
- Institute of Microbiology
- Institute of Forensic Medicine
- Clinical Department of Psychosomatics
- Institute for Experimental Neurosurgery
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry
- Laboratory for Molecular Neurosciences
External
- Institute of Psychiatry from the Minden- Lübecke Clinic
- Central Institute Mannheim (Clinical Department for Addiction Medicine, Prof. Dr. Kiefer)
- Paracelsus Medical Private University, Nuremberg Hospital
- 03/2015: University-internal performance funding (HiLF): Functional characterization of the aldehyde dehydrogenase2 promoter region in a neuronal context
- 08/2014: University-internal performance funding (HiLF): "Investigation of the variability of methylation of the proopiomelanocortin gene promoter and the consecutive expression of its derivative, alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, in alcohol dependence in animal models."
- 2016-2017: IFB-Tx (Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation) project CORE_10/SU-F05, Funded by BMBF (reference number 01EO0802)
- 09/2016: "Junior Investigator Award" granted by the "International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism" (ISBRA), "European Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism" (ESBRA), "Society for the Study of Addition" (SSA), and "Addiction
- 10/2016: University internal performance funding (HiLF): "Nicotine-induced epigenetic changes in the methylation status of individual CpG islands and serum protein expression of appetite- and volume-regulating peptides during withdrawal in patients with tobacco dependence."
- 11/2016: Annual scholarship from the Elke and Dr. Rolf Ecklebe Foundation: "Investigation of epigenetic mechanisms as a contribution to the development of Alzheimer's disease by disrupting vitamin and homocysteine metabolism in a cell culture model."
- 04/2018: Award from the North German Addiction Research Association (NSF e.V.) for research in the field of addiction medicine
Research group members
Head of research group
Prof. Dr. med. Alexander Glahn
Managing senior physician
glahn.alexander@mh-hannover.de, curriculum vitae
Excellence at a glance:
- Active participation in the S-3 guideline "Drug-related disorders"
- Active participation in the S-3 guideline Psychosocial diagnosis and treatment of patients before and after transplantation
Publications: Pubmed
PD Dr. med. Marc Andre Nicolas Muschler
Specialist
Excellence at a glance: Membership of the German Society for Biological Psychiatry (DGBP)
Publications: Pubmed
Mathias Rhein, PhD
PostDoc
rhein.mathias@mh-hannover.de, Curriculum vitae
Excellence at a glance:
- Protein Biochemistry
- Epigenetic analysis methods
- Research into alcohol dependence and other drugs of abuse
- Regulation of genes in blood and brain
Publications:Pubmed
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Hillemacher
Medical Director of the University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Paracelsus Medical University Nuremberg
Phone: +49 911 398 2830
Fax: + 49 911 398 3965
thomas.hillemacher@klinikum-nuernberg.de
Excellence at a glance:
- Substance-related and non-substance-related addictions
- Clinical and biological research in the field of various addictions
- Membership in numerous professional societies
Publications: Pubmed
To the Nuremberg North Clinic
proskynitopoulos.phileas@mh-hannover.de
Main areas of research:
- Epigenetic basis of alcohol dependence and tobacco addiction
- The role of the microbiome in alcohol dependence and depressive disorders
- Psychiatric treatment and care of patients with alcohol use disorder before and after liver transplantation
- Psychocardiology
Excellence at a glance:
- Liver transplantation for alcohol use disorder
- Leptin and oxytocin in addiction disorders
Publications: Pubmed
elena.buss@stud.mh-hannover.de
Excellence at a glance:
- Epigenetics of alcohol addiction (especially the role of ALDH2)
- Cardiovascular risk of mental illnesses - especially addictions
Other positions and memberships:
- Member of the DGPPN
- Student director of the Eurotransplant liaison office of the MHH
jannis.molks@stud.mh-hannover.de
Main areas of research:
- Microbiome
- Gut-brain axis (changes in the microbiome of alcohol addicts in the course of inpatient detoxification)
christian.sperling@stud.mh-hannover.de
Title of the doctoral thesis: Neurobiological changes during detoxification treatment in alcohol-dependent patients: Investigation of epigenetic enzyme regulation of AVP
Main areas of research:
- Epigenetic analyses using Sanger/NGS/Nanopore sequencing
- Molecular biological basis of addictive disorders
Excellence at a glance:
- Alumna of the German National Academic Foundation (scholarship from 2013-2020)