Background
The Molecular Psychiatry research group focuses on questions of neuroepigenetics.
Epigenetic mechanisms serve to regulate genetic activity and are partly hereditary. DNA methylation and post-translational modification of histone proteins can change the structure of DNA (chromatin remodeling) in such a way that individual genes are permanently switched off. Short RNA species and post-transcriptional RNA modifications (RNA editing; alternative splicing) are further substrates of epigenetic processes.
In psychiatry, the particular importance of epigenetic processes in the development, maintenance and healing of mental illnesses has been demonstrated in recent years, as well as for the biological coding of susceptibility to illness (vulnerability) or insusceptibility (resilience). Epigenetic processes are also of particular interest for the transmission of mental illnesses over several generations.
To research these phenomena, we at the Laboratory for Molecular Neuroscience we use modern cell biological and biochemical methods in addition to the entire spectrum of molecular biological methods. The investigation of epigenetic processes from cell culture through suitable animal models to clinical study populations corresponds to our guiding principle of translational research.
Within the Clinical Department of Psychiatry, Social- and Psychological Therapy, we work closely with the following research groups
- Alcohol, nicotine and drug addiction,
- psychocardiology and psychotherapy,
- Difficult to treat depression / non-invasive brain stimulation and with the
- Clinical Psychology and Sexual Medicine
Scientific collaborations
In addition to the above-mentioned internal departmental collaborations, we work with numerous other research groups within the framework of national and international research networks (e.g. on eating disorders [BMBF-EDNET], borderline personality disorders, psychopharmacological effects [BMBF-NeSSy] and traumatization):
Research group members
Head of the research group
Prof. Dr. med. Helge Frieling
Deputy Head of Clinic
Phone: +49 511 532 7275
Fax: +49 511 532 7276
Telephone: +49 511 532 7275
Fax: +49 511 532 7276
buchholz.vanessa@mh-hannover.de
Research focus: Epigenetic analyses using Sanger
Publications: Pubmed
Telephone: +49 511 532 7275
Fax: +49 511 532 7276
burkert.alexandra@mh-hannover.de
Main research areas:
- Methylation-specific probe-based qPCR
- Epigenetic analyses using Sanger/Nanopore sequencing
Publications: Pubmed
Telephone: +49 511 532 3167
Fax: +49 511 532 3168
eberlein.christian@mh-hannover.de
Main areas of research:
- Research into the neurobiological basis of the development of mental illness in people with Prader-Willi syndrome.
- Health services research, clinical research (type, frequency and symptoms of mental illness) and research into new drug therapy options for mental illnesses in people with Prader-Willi syndrome.
- Health services research, clinical research on mental illness in rare syndromic diseases (type, frequency, symptoms) and research into drug and non-drug therapy options
Publications: Pubmed
Telephone: +49 511 532 7275
Fax: +49 511 532 7276
Main areas of research:
Diseases:
- Schizophrenia (biomarker cerebrospinal fluid)
- Sexual deviations/paraphilias
- Depression
Methods:
- Epigenetic analyses using Sanger/NGS/Nanopore sequencing
- Neuronal in-vitro models for the visualization of synapse formation
- Patch clamp, calcium imaging
Publications: Pubmed
Telephone: +49 511 532 7275
Fax: +49 511 532 7276
Main areas of research:
- Epigenetic regulation of BDNF IV in antidepressant treatment
- Establishment of a gene panel regarding the response to antidepressant treatment
- Effect of antidepressants on BDNF secretion by neurons and reuptake by astrocytes
- Investigation of the chromatin composition of the GDNF promoter to investigate its role in the treatment response of depression
Publications: Pubmed/Pathak_Hansi & PMID21734725 & PIMD28887651
Co-Head of the research group"Alcohol, Nicotine and Drug Addiction"
Phone: +49 511 532 7245
Fax: +49 511 532 7276
Excellence at a glance:
- Protein biochemistry
- Epigenetic analysis methods
- Research into alcohol addiction and other drugs of abuse
- Regulation of genes in blood and brain
Publications:Pubmed