About us

The main interest in our Institute is to understand the role of distinct signaling and transcriptional processes during inflammatory processes and tumor development.

• The group of Dr. Vervoorts studies the cell cycle, in particular the role of the tumor suppressor p27. In addition to inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinases, p27 also controls cell migration and autophagy, aspects that are addressed using the purification of protein complexes and cell biological approaches.  
• Dr. Lüscher studies the trithorax protein ASH2L that functions in a chromatin-modifying complex. The function of ASH2L in the control of cell proliferation is determined using chromatin immunoprecipitations and conditional knock-out mice.
• The laboratory of Prof. Müller-Newen studies cytokine signaling through the JAK/STAT pathway which is often deregulated in inflammation and cancer. The temporal and spatial organization of JAK/STAT signaling is analyzed in living cells using advanced microscopy techniques.
• Dr. Korn and her team are interested in the function of mono-ADP-ribosylation in host-pathogen conflicts. In particular the role of pathogen-associated ADP-ribosylhydrolases, how they contribute to modulate an innate immune response, and mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases, how they function in pathogen defense.
• Dr. Feijs, Dr Žaja and their team are studying the function of mono(ADP-ribosyl)ation in diverse (patho)physiological processes, such as metabolism, immunity and cancer. Employed methods range from molecular biology, biochemistry, tumor and primary cell culture to animal models.

For more information please see the individual links of all the group leaders (team).

Here all the names of the group leaders:

Prof. Bernhard Lüscher
Prof. Gerhard Müller-Newen
Dr. Karla Feijs-Žaja an Dr. Roko Žaja
Dr. Patricia Korn
Dr. Jörg Vervoorts