Nawrotzki group
PD Dr. med. Ralph Nawrotzki, D.Phil
1990-1991 | Research at the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy (Cornell University, New York) |
1994 | MD at the Department of Pathology (University of Cologne) |
1994-1998 | DPhil at the Department of Biochemistry (University of Oxford) |
1997-1998 | Postdoctoral work at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biochemistry |
1999-2003 | Group leader at the Department of Anatomy and Cellular Neurobiology (University of Ulm) |
Since 2003 | Group leader at the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology (University of Heidelberg) |
Molecular organization of plasma membrane compartments
Our goal is to understand the functions of key molecules (such as the cytoskeletal protein gephyrin and the integrin receptors) in the formation and stabilization of synapses and other intercellular junctions. While their precise actions are not known, these molecules play crucial roles in the function of animal tissues by helping cells to link with each other and with the extracelllar matrix, and by organizing the formation of specialized subcellular compartments at the plasma membrane. If these compartments are inappropriately formed and stabilized, the concerted actions of neighboring cells may fail, resulting in the malfunctioning of animal tissues.
Selected publications
[1] Nawrotzki R., et al. (1996) Trends Genet. 12: 294-298.
[2] Blake D.J.*, Nawrotzki R. *, et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271: 7802-7810.
[3] Blake D.J., et al. (1998) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 95: 241-246.
[4] Nawrotzki R., et al. (1998) J. Cell Sci. 111: 2595-2605.
[5] Nawrotzki R., et al. (2003) Hum. Mol. Genet. 12: 483-495.
* Joint first authors