Prof. Dr. Sebastian Jessberger

 

Main Goals, Keywords

New neurons are continuously generated in two discrete areas of the adult brain – the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles. Our group is interested in the underlying biology of adult neurogenesis, including the fate plasticity of adult neural stem cells (NSCs) and the molecular mechanisms governing stem cell activity and neuronal integration. Our projects also aim to understand the functional contribution of adult neurogenesis to normal hippocampal function and its role in neurogenesis-associated diseases such as major depression, ageing, and epilepsy.

Group Members

1 professor, 3 postdoc, 5 graduate students

Previous, Current and Future Research

The finding that new neurons are continuously born in the adult brain has challenged traditional concepts of brain plasticity. Our efforts are focused on several aspects of adult neurogenesis (please check also http://www.hifo.uzh.ch/research/jessberger.html for details)

• Molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell activity and neuronal differentiation
• Integration of newborn neurons
• Mechanisms underlying age-dependent decrease of neurogenesis
• In vivo reprogramming of adult neural stem cells
  
• Functional relevance of adult neurogenesis

Techniques and Equipment

Standard protocols in cell and molecular biology. Lenti- and retroviral techniques. Steretotactic intracerebral injections. Primary neural and NSCs cultures. Adult hippocampal slice cultures. Transgenesis.

Selected Publications

• Vadodaria K, Brakebusch C, Suter U, Jessberger S (2013) Stage-Specific Functions of the Small Rho GTPases Cdc42 and Rac1 for Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis. J Neuroscience 33(3):1179-1189
• Knobloch M*, Braun SMG*, Zurkirchen L, von Schoultz C, Zamboni N, Kovacs WJ, Araùzo-Bravo MJ, Karalay O, Suter U, Machado R, Roccio M, Lütolf MP, Semenkovich CF, Jessberger S (2013). Metabolic control of adult neural stem cell activity by Fasn-dependent lipogenesis. Nature 493(7431):226-30 *contributed equally
• Bracko O, Singer T, Aigner S, Knobloch M, Winner B, Ray J, Clemenson GD, Suh H, Couillard-Depres S, Aigner L, Gage FH, Jessberger S (2012) Gene expression profiling of neural stem cells and their neuronal progeny reveals IGF2 as a regulator of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. J Neuroscience 32(10):3376-3387

Funding

Swiss National Science Fondation, NCCR Neural Plasticity and Repair, EMBO, HFSP

URL

http://www.hifo.uzh.ch/research/jessberger.html