Curriculum Vitae

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PERSONAL INFORMATION

Professor Dr. rer. nat. Stephan J. Sigrist

Date of birth: 9 September 1967 in Freiburg i. Br. - Nationality: German

Married, 3 Children

• CURRENTPOSITION(S)

Since 2014      Einstein Professor

Since 2012      Spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Center 958 “Membrane Scaffolding”

Since 2009      Co-Director of the DFG Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

Since 2008      Full Professor (W3) in Genetics, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

• EDUCATION

2005                Habilitation, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany (Award for Best Habilitation)

1997                PhD in the Field of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany; Advisor: Prof. Dr. Christian F. Lehner

1993                Diploma in Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany

• PREVIOUS POSITIONS

2006 – 2008   Associate Professor (W2) for Experimental Biomedicine and Bio-Imaging, Rudolf Virchow Center of Excellence, Universität Würzburg, Germany       

2001 – 2006   Principal Investigator of the Independent Junior Research Group “Neuroplasticity” of the Max-Planck-Society at the European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen, Germany

1997 – 2000   Postdoc at Friedrich Miescher Laboratory (FML) of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany

• FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS

Since 2014                    Einstein Professorship of the Einstein Foundation Berlin, Germany

2005                Best Habilitation Award awarded by the University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany

2000                EMBO Long-term Fellowship: Funding of Postdoc position by European Molecular Biology Organization Heidelberg, Germany

2000                HFSP Long-term Fellowship: Funding of Postdoc position, Long-term Fellowship Human Frontier Science Program Organization Strasbourg, France

1997-2000       Habilitation-Fellowship Claußen Foundation: Funding of Postdoc position, Germany

• SUPERVISION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

Since 2001               Supervision of 30 PhD theses in biology, biochemistry, neurosciences and medicine, 8 of which are ongoing; supervision of 10 postdocs and 15 master students.

• TEACHING ACTIVITIES (selection)

2008– 2016    Lecturer – Genetics for Bachelor Students, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

2008– 2016    Lecturer – NeuroBiology and Neuro-Genetics MA-Program, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

2013                Faculty Marine Biological Laboratory “Woodshole Summer course Neurobiology”

• ORGANISATION OF SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS (selection)

2014                Main Organizer of the international meeting “Membranes and Modules,” Berlin, Germany, (about 500 participants)

2010                Organization of the workshop “Trends in Microscopy” with Nobel Prize winner Professor Stefan Hell, Berlin, Germany

In addition, Stephan Sigrist hosted and organized many smaller events.

• INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Since 2012     Spokesperson CRC 958 “Membrane Scaffolding,” Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Since 2009      Directorial Board Member, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

                        (first election period 2009-2014, re-elected for 2014-2019)

2002 – 2005    Spokesman of Junior Groups of Max Planck Society

• COMMISSIONS OF TRUST

Stephan Sigrist has been serving as an evaluator for the German Research Foundation and also on many occasions as an evaluator of research proposals in Spain, the Netherlands, France, Austria and the UK.

Permanent memberships of advisory boards and review panels:

Since 2016     Head of Scientific Advisory Board of Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany

Since 2012      Elected Member of the German Research Foundation (DFG) review board “Neurosciences,” Germany; re-elected 2016

Since 2012     Elected Member, German Research Foundation (DFG) “Emmy Noether Program” committee of the review board “Neurosciences” (re-elected in 2016)

Since 2011       Advisory Board BioTechMed-Graz, University of Graz, Austria

Since 2010     Advisory Board NaWi Graz, Austria (collaboration between University of Graz and Technical University of Graz)

• MAJOR COLLABORATIONS

Stefan Hell (Göttingen&Heidelberg) for super-resolution light microscopy

David Owald (Berlin), Bertram Gerber (Magdeburg) and Andre Fiala (Göttingen) for learning assays and opto-physiological analysis of the Drosophila brain;

Jörg Geier (Berlin) for Drosophila CNS recordings;

David DiGregorio (Paris) for biophysics of Ca2+-secretion coupling;

Henri Jaspers (Buck Institute, USA) for aging in Drosophila;

Christian Rosenmund and Dietmar Schmitz (Berlin) for synapse genetics and electrophysiology in mouse model;

Benjamin Judkewitz (Berlin) for use of adaptive optics on biological samples

Frank Madeo (Graz) and Guido Kroemer (Paris) for mechanisms of aging in yeast and mouse

Alberto Bacci (Paris) for interneuron recordings of mouse cortex

Ongoing and submitted grants and funding

On-going Grants

Completed Projects (selection)

Ten representative publications

Reddy-Alla S, Böhme MA, Reynolds E, Beis C, Grasskamp AT, Mampell MM, Maglione M, Jusyte M, Rey U, Babikir H, McCarthy AW, Quentin C, Matkovic T, Bergeron DD, Mushtaq Z, Göttfert F, Owald D, Mielke T, Hell SW, Sigrist SJ, Walter AM. Stable Positioning of Unc13 Restricts Synaptic Vesicle Fusion to Defined Release Sites to Promote Synchronous Neurotransmission. Neuron. 2017 Sep 13;95(6):1350-1364.e12.

Gupta V.K., Pech, .U., Bhukel, A., Fulterer, A., Ender, A., Mauermann, S.F., Andlauer, T.F.M., Antwi-Adjei, E., Beuschel, C., Thriene, K., Maglione, M., Quentin, C., Bushow R., Schwärzel, M., Mielke, T., Madeo, F., Dengjel, J., Fiala, A., Sigrist, S.J. (2016). Spermidine suppresses age-associated memory impairment by preventing adverse increase of presynaptic active zone size and release. Plos Biology, 29;14(9):e1002563

Böhme, M.A., C. Beis, S. Reddy-Alla, E. Reynolds, M.M. Mampell, A.T. Grasskamp, J. Lutzkendorf, D.D. Bergeron, J.H. Driller, H. Babikir, F. Gottfert, I.M. Robinson, C.J. O'Kane, S.W. Hell, M.C. Wahl, U. Stelzl, B. Loll, A.M. Walter, and S.J. Sigrist. (2016). Active zone scaffolds differentially accumulate Unc13 isoforms to tune Ca2+ channel-vesicle coupling. Nature Neuroscience. 19(10):1311-20

Muhammad, K., S. Reddy-Alla, J.H. Driller, D. Schreiner, U. Rey, M.A. Bohme, C. Hollmann, N. Ramesh, H. Depner, J. Lutzkendorf, T. Matkovic, T. Gotz, D.D. Bergeron, J. Schmoranzer, F. Goettfert, M. Holt, M.C. Wahl, S.W. Hell, P. Scheiffele, A.M. Walter, B. Loll, and S.J. Sigrist. (2015). Presynaptic spinophilin tunes neurexin signalling to control active zone architecture and function. Nature Communications 6, 8362.

Gupta, V.K., L. Scheunemann, T. Eisenberg, S. Mertel, A. Bhukel, T.S. Koemans, J.M. Kramer, K.S. Liu, S. Schroeder, H.G. Stunnenberg, F. Sinner, C. Magnes, T.R. Pieber, S. Dipt, A. Fiala, A. Schenck, M. Schwaerzel, F. Madeo, and S.J. Sigrist. (2013). Restoring polyamines protects from age-induced memory impairment in an autophagy-dependent manner. Nature Neuroscience. 16, 1453-1460.

Matkovic, T., M. Siebert, E. Knoche, H. Depner, S. Mertel, D. Owald, M. Schmidt, U. Thomas, A. Sickmann, D. Kamin, S.W. Hell, J. Burger, C. Hollmann, T. Mielke, C. Wichmann, and S.J. Sigrist. (2013). The Bruchpilot cytomatrix determines the size of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles. Journal of Cell Biology 202, 667-683.

Owald, D., O. Khorramshahi, V.K. Gupta, D. Banovic, H. Depner, W. Fouquet, C. Wichmann, S. Mertel, S. Eimer, E. Reynolds, M. Holt, H. Aberle, and S.J. Sigrist. (2012). Cooperation of Syd-1 with Neurexin synchronizes pre- with postsynaptic assembly. Nature Neuroscience 15, 1219-1226.

Liu, K.S., M. Siebert, S. Mertel, E. Knoche, S. Wegener, C. Wichmann, T. Matkovic, K. Muhammad, H. Depner, C. Mettke, J. Buckers, S.W. Hell, M. Muller, G.W. Davis, D. Schmitz, and S.J. Sigrist. (2011). RIM-binding protein, a central part of the active zone, is essential for neurotransmitter release. Science 334, 1565-1569.

Schmid, A., S. Hallermann, R.J. Kittel, O. Khorramshahi, A.M. Frolich, C. Quentin, T.M. Rasse, S. Mertel, M. Heckmann, and S.J. Sigrist. (2008). Activity-dependent site-specific changes of glutamate receptor composition in vivo. Nature Neuroscience 11, 659-666.

Kittel, R.J., C. Wichmann, T.M. Rasse, W. Fouquet, M. Schmidt, A. Schmid, D.A. Wagh, C. Pawlu, R.R. Kellner, K.I. Willig, S.W. Hell, E. Buchner, M. Heckmann, and S.J. Sigrist. (2006). Bruchpilot promotes active zone assembly, Ca2+ channel clustering, and vesicle release. Science 312, 1051-1054.

Cumulated citation of these 10 representative publications: > 1300

Total number of publications 95; Total number of citations > 60000; h-index 35

Invited Reviews and editorials in the last five years (selection)

Sigrist, S.J., and A.G. Petzoldt. 2016. Neuroscience: Nanocolumns at the heart of the synapse. Nature. 11;536(7615):151-2

Petzoldt, A.G., J. Lutzkendorf, and S.J. Sigrist. 2016. Mechanisms controlling assembly and plasticity of presynaptic active zone scaffolds. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 39:69-76.

Böhme, M.A., and S.J. Sigrist. 2015. Lights on for the molecular players of presynaptic plasticity. Neuron. 86:603-604.

Walter, A.M., V. Haucke, and S.J. Sigrist. 2014. Neurotransmission: spontaneous and evoked release filing for divorce. Curr Biol. 24:R192-194.

Maglione, M., and S.J. Sigrist. 2013. Seeing the forest tree by tree: super-resolution light microscopy meets the neurosciences. Nature Neuroscience. 16:790-797.

Sigrist, S.J., and B.L. Sabatini. 2012. Optical super-resolution microscopy in neurobiology. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 22:86-93.

Sigrist, S.J., and D. Schmitz. 2011. Structural and functional plasticity of the cytoplasmic active zone. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 21:144-150.

Haucke, V., E. Neher, and S.J. Sigrist. 2011. Protein scaffolds in the coupling of synaptic exocytosis and endocytosis. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. 12:127-138.

Invited presentations to peer-reviewed, internationally established conferences and/or international advanced schools

Stephan Sigrist has been invited to more than 100 presentations. Some examples:

• 5th European Synapse Meeting, Bristol, UK. 2015
• Gordon Research Conference “Polyamines,” Waterville Valley NH, USA. 2015
• Gordon Research Conference “Excitatory Synapses and Brain Function,” Newport RI, USA. 2015
• 17th International Neuroscience Winter Conference, Sölden, Austria. 2015
• 16th International Neuroscience Winter Conference, Sölden, Austria; 2014
• EMBO Conference “The Molecular and Developmental Biology of Drosophila,” Crete, Greece. 2014
• 9th FENS Forum of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy. 2014
• 9th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic. 2014
• ENINET Annual Meeting, Freiburg, Germany. 2014
• 14th European Drosophila Neurobiology Conference (Neurofly), Padua, Italy. 2012 (Plenary)
• EMBO Workshop, Crete, Greece. 2011

Supervision of junior researchers

As a team leader, Stephan Sigrist has played an important role in the early career of several young scientists, many of whom have pursued successful careers as researchers in academic science or in industry. Former graduate students examined under Stephan Sigrist’s main supervision who went for an academic career:

• Dr. Robert Kittel*, Leader of an independent research group, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany
• Dr. David Owald*, DFG Emmy Noether Group Leader Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany

• Dr. Manuela Schmidt*, currently: DFG Emmy Noether Group Leader, Max-Planck-Institut für Experimentelle Medizin, Göttingen, Germany

• Former postdocs who worked under his supervision:
  • Carolin Wichmann, Professor (W2) "Molecular architecture of synapses", Medical Faculty Göttingen
  • Dr. M.Sc. Alexander Walter*, currently DFG Emmy Noether Group Leader, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Berlin, Germany

* After finishing their PhD or postdoc at the Sigrist lab, these individuals were awarded the most prestigious German funding for young independent researchers (“Emmy Noether Group”).

Stephan Sigrist hosted several postdoctoral guest scientists in his lab over the years. Some are recognized leaders in their fields, such as Alexander von Humboldt Fellow Dr. Dave Featherstone (University of Illinois at Chicago, USA) and Einstein Visiting Fellow Cecilia Clementi (Rice University, Houston, USA).

•  Lecturer – Genetics for Bachelor Students, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
•  Lecturer – NeuroBiology and Neuro-Genetics MA-Program, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Full list of publications

Ten representative publications

Reddy-Alla S, Böhme MA, Reynolds E, Beis C, Grasskamp AT, Mampell MM, Maglione M, Jusyte M, Rey U, Babikir H, McCarthy AW, Quentin C, Matkovic T, Bergeron DD, Mushtaq Z, Göttfert F, Owald D, Mielke T, Hell SW, Sigrist SJ, Walter AM. Stable Positioning of Unc13 Restricts Synaptic Vesicle Fusion to Defined Release Sites to Promote Synchronous Neurotransmission. Neuron. 2017 Sep 13;95(6):1350-1364.e12.

Gupta V.K., Pech, .U., Bhukel, A., Fulterer, A., Ender, A., Mauermann, S.F., Andlauer, T.F.M., Antwi-Adjei, E., Beuschel, C., Thriene, K., Maglione, M., Quentin, C., Bushow R., Schwärzel, M., Mielke, T., Madeo, F., Dengjel, J., Fiala, A., Sigrist, S.J. (2016). Spermidine suppresses age-associated memory impairment by preventing adverse increase of presynaptic active zone size and release. Plos Biology, 29;14(9):e1002563

Böhme, M.A., C. Beis, S. Reddy-Alla, E. Reynolds, M.M. Mampell, A.T. Grasskamp, J. Lutzkendorf, D.D. Bergeron, J.H. Driller, H. Babikir, F. Gottfert, I.M. Robinson, C.J. O'Kane, S.W. Hell, M.C. Wahl, U. Stelzl, B. Loll, A.M. Walter, and S.J. Sigrist. (2016). Active zone scaffolds differentially accumulate Unc13 isoforms to tune Ca2+ channel-vesicle coupling. Nature Neuroscience. 19(10):1311-20

Muhammad, K., S. Reddy-Alla, J.H. Driller, D. Schreiner, U. Rey, M.A. Bohme, C. Hollmann, N. Ramesh, H. Depner, J. Lutzkendorf, T. Matkovic, T. Gotz, D.D. Bergeron, J. Schmoranzer, F. Goettfert, M. Holt, M.C. Wahl, S.W. Hell, P. Scheiffele, A.M. Walter, B. Loll, and S.J. Sigrist. (2015). Presynaptic spinophilin tunes neurexin signalling to control active zone architecture and function. Nature Communications 6, 8362.

Gupta, V.K., L. Scheunemann, T. Eisenberg, S. Mertel, A. Bhukel, T.S. Koemans, J.M. Kramer, K.S. Liu, S. Schroeder, H.G. Stunnenberg, F. Sinner, C. Magnes, T.R. Pieber, S. Dipt, A. Fiala, A. Schenck, M. Schwaerzel, F. Madeo, and S.J. Sigrist. (2013). Restoring polyamines protects from age-induced memory impairment in an autophagy-dependent manner. Nature Neuroscience. 16, 1453-1460.

Matkovic, T., M. Siebert, E. Knoche, H. Depner, S. Mertel, D. Owald, M. Schmidt, U. Thomas, A. Sickmann, D. Kamin, S.W. Hell, J. Burger, C. Hollmann, T. Mielke, C. Wichmann, and S.J. Sigrist. (2013). The Bruchpilot cytomatrix determines the size of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles. Journal of Cell Biology 202, 667-683.

Owald, D., O. Khorramshahi, V.K. Gupta, D. Banovic, H. Depner, W. Fouquet, C. Wichmann, S. Mertel, S. Eimer, E. Reynolds, M. Holt, H. Aberle, and S.J. Sigrist. (2012). Cooperation of Syd-1 with Neurexin synchronizes pre- with postsynaptic assembly. Nature Neuroscience 15, 1219-1226.

Liu, K.S., M. Siebert, S. Mertel, E. Knoche, S. Wegener, C. Wichmann, T. Matkovic, K. Muhammad, H. Depner, C. Mettke, J. Buckers, S.W. Hell, M. Muller, G.W. Davis, D. Schmitz, and S.J. Sigrist. (2011). RIM-binding protein, a central part of the active zone, is essential for neurotransmitter release. Science 334, 1565-1569.

Schmid, A., S. Hallermann, R.J. Kittel, O. Khorramshahi, A.M. Frolich, C. Quentin, T.M. Rasse, S. Mertel, M. Heckmann, and S.J. Sigrist. (2008). Activity-dependent site-specific changes of glutamate receptor composition in vivo. Nature Neuroscience 11, 659-666.

Kittel, R.J., C. Wichmann, T.M. Rasse, W. Fouquet, M. Schmidt, A. Schmid, D.A. Wagh, C. Pawlu, R.R. Kellner, K.I. Willig, S.W. Hell, E. Buchner, M. Heckmann, and S.J. Sigrist. (2006). Bruchpilot promotes active zone assembly, Ca2+ channel clustering, and vesicle release. Science 312, 1051-1054.

Cumulated citation of these 10 representative publications: > 1300

Total number of publications 95; Total number of citations > 60000; h-index 35

Invited Reviews and editorials in the last five years (selection)

Sigrist, S.J., and A.G. Petzoldt. 2016. Neuroscience: Nanocolumns at the heart of the synapse. Nature. 11;536(7615):151-2

Petzoldt, A.G., J. Lutzkendorf, and S.J. Sigrist. 2016. Mechanisms controlling assembly and plasticity of presynaptic active zone scaffolds. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 39:69-76.

Böhme, M.A., and S.J. Sigrist. 2015. Lights on for the molecular players of presynaptic plasticity. Neuron. 86:603-604.

Walter, A.M., V. Haucke, and S.J. Sigrist. 2014. Neurotransmission: spontaneous and evoked release filing for divorce. Curr Biol. 24:R192-194.

Maglione, M., and S.J. Sigrist. 2013. Seeing the forest tree by tree: super-resolution light microscopy meets the neurosciences. Nature Neuroscience. 16:790-797.

Sigrist, S.J., and B.L. Sabatini. 2012. Optical super-resolution microscopy in neurobiology. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 22:86-93.

Sigrist, S.J., and D. Schmitz. 2011. Structural and functional plasticity of the cytoplasmic active zone. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 21:144-150.

Haucke, V., E. Neher, and S.J. Sigrist. 2011. Protein scaffolds in the coupling of synaptic exocytosis and endocytosis. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. 12:127-138.