Prof. Dr. Ueli Suter

 

Main Goals, Keywords

We study the cellular and molecular basis of organogenesis and repair in the nervous system. Our efforts are focused on the role of neural stem cells and the interactions between neurons and myelinating cells, oligodendrocytes that are distressed in Multiple Sclerosis and Schwann cells that are disturbed in Peripheral Neuropathies (in collaboration with the groups of Dr. Lukas Sommer and Dr. Joao Relvas).

Keywords: Neuron-glia interactions, myelin, neuropathies, gliogenesis, neurogenesis, transgenic models, neural stem cells, oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells, multiple sclerosis.

Group Members

1 professor, 1 group leader, 1 senior research associate, 5 postdoctoral fellows, 6 PhD students

Previous, Current and Future Research

We are studying the role of cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions with respect to the control of cell proliferation, cell migration, cell differentiation and cell death in neural development and repair.

There are three main topics:
- Peripheral Nerve Biology and Molecular Disease Mechanisms in Neuropathies
- Basic Mechanisms in Neural Stem Cell Biology
- Oligodendrocytes in Health and Disease

Techniques and Equipment

We are using a variety of cell culture techniques and transgenic approaches in rodents, in combination with modern microscopy and imaging techniques.

Selected Publications

• Cotter, L., Oezcelik, M., Jacob, C., Pereira, J.A., Locher, V., Baumann, R., Relvas, J.B., Suter, U., Tricaud, N. Dlg1-PTEN interaction regulates myelin thickness to prevent damaging peripheral nerve overmyelination. Science, 328, 1415-1418 (2010).
• Pereira, J.A, Baumann, R., Norrmen, C., Somandin, C., Miehe, M., Jacob, C., Lühmann, T., Hall-Bosic, H., Mantei, N., Meijer, D., Suter, U. Dicer in Schwann cells is required for myelination and axonal integrity. J. Neurosci. 30, 6763-6775 (2010).
• Zawadzka, M., Rivers, L.E., Fancy, S.P.J., Zhao, C., Jamen, F., Goncharevich, A., Tripathi, R., Pohl, H., Rizzi, M., Rowitch, D.H., Kessaris, N., Suter, U., Richardson, W.D., Franklin, R.J.M. CNS-resident glial progenitor/stem cells produce Schwann cells as well as oligodendrocytes during repair of CNS demyelination. Cell Stem Cell 6, 578-590 (2010).

Selected Lectures, Seminars, Colloquia

• Molecular Cell Biology
• Embryology and Cell Differentiation
• Genetics and Developmental Biology

Funding

Swiss National Science Foundation, EU, NCCR Neural Plasticity and Repair, ETH Zurich

URL

www.cell.biol.ethz.ch

www.cell.biol.ethz.ch/research/suter