DFG Research Unit FOR 2419 "Plasticity versus Stability"

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has granted 2.6 million EUR for the second funding period 2019 - 2021 of the Research Unit FOR 2419 "Plasticity versus Stability: Molecular Mechanisms of Synaptic Strength" which focusses on the longstanding question of synapse and network plasticity.

Two of the six funded research projects will be performed at the Institute for Molecular Neurogenetics:

Matthias Kneussel

Synaptic activity-dependent regulation of microtubule transport in the delivery of plasticity-related mRNAs and proteins

and

Frank Heisler in collaboration with Michael Kreutz (ZMNH Leibniz Group Dendritic Organelles and Synaptic Function)

The needs of a synapse - how local microsecretory systems and organelles serve synaptic function

Press release of the DFG (in German)

Press release of the UKE (in German)

December 7, 2018

Research Highlights

Synaptic transmission
Hausrat et al. (2015) Nat Commun 6: 6872

We could show in a recent publication that the function of Radixin suggests a new mode of synaptic plasticity, in which extrasynaptic receptor resevoirs supply synaptic GABA-A receptors.

We offer positions for

- Master students in biology, biochemistry or molecular medicine and

- Doctoral candidates in the field of medicine who want to do their theses in molecular neurobiology.

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