Dr. Josephine Labus

 

Junior PI


DEGREES AND ACADEMIC CAREER:

2025 Habilitation submitted in Physiology, Hannover Medical School
Since 2019 Junior PI, Hannover Medical School, Department of Cellular Neurophysiology
2013 – 2019 Postdoctoral researcher, Hannover Medical School, Cellular Neurophysiology
2009 – 2013 Dr. rer. nat., Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute for Biochemistry
2004 – 2009 Diploma in biochemistry, Free University Berlin

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

  • Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the accumulation of misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative diseases
  • Serotonergic receptor signaling in the regulation of neuronal morphology, network plasticity, and neurodegeneration
  • Crosstalk between extracellular matrix signaling and cell adhesion receptors in neuronal function and pathology

EXPERTISE:

Quantitative molecular microscopy approaches to analyze:

  • intracellular signaling pathways (FRET-based biosensors for cAMP, GTPases)
  • protein-protein interactions (lux-FRET approach)
  • neuronal morphology and synaptic plasticity
  • extracellular matrix remodeling (MMP-9 biosensor, shedding reporters)

Biochemical approaches to study:

  • pathological protein aggregation
  • post-translational modifications (in particular palmitoylation)
  • cell-matrix adhesion

Adeno-associated virus production

Mouse models of dementia, behavioral testing for cognition and locomotion

CURRENT TEAM:

Georg Brettel, MD student

Kiara Liening, MD student

Imke Richter, MD student

 

Alumni:

Saskia Borsdorf, PhD

Alina Brüge, PhD

Dr. med. Julia Kleinert

Dr. med. Anna-Lena Vollbrecht

Dr. med. Kathrin Jahreis

Dr. med. Jana Ackmann