The Bähr Lab

Thorsten R. Döppner, M.D., M.Sc.

phone:

+ 49 - 551 - 39 66660

fax:

+ 49 - 551 - 39 8405

pager:

919 - 6071

e-mail:

Thorsten.Doeppner(at)med.uni-goettingen.de

Main research focus:

Our research focus is based on the clinical problem that local and systemic thrombolysis still remain the only causal therapy available against cerebral ischemia, with both of which being limited due to severe side effects and a narrow time window. Consequently, new and innovative treatment strategies have to be developed. With neuroprotective strategies having failed exclusively, our experimental focus lies in understanding mechanisms of post-stroke neuroregeneration. The latter is contributed to the fact that endogenous neurogenesis also persists within the adult mammalian brain, albeit its functional role is limited due to both low survival and low differentiation rates of new-born cells.

Major research interest:

• Identifying mechanisms underlying post-ischemic endogenous neurogenesis that might serve as target for therapeutic intervention
• Transplantation of adult progenitor cells and stem cells in order to stimulate endogenous neurogenesis
• Analyzing mechanisms that are involved in stem cell induced neuroprotection and neuroregeneration with emphasis on extracellular vesicles and soluble factors
• Clinical focus: vascular neurology, clinical studies on stroke patients evaluating novel treatment paradigms.

Tools & models:

• In vitro: primary cell culture (e.g., cortical neurons, neural progenitor cells, etc.), cell lines (immortalized mesenchymal stem cells, etc.), oxygen-glucose-deprivation assay to mimic cerebral ischemia, protease activity assays, molecular neurobiology, immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, etc.
• In vivo: Thread occlusion model (also known as “middle cerebral artery occlusion”) for mimicking experimental stroke in mice, behavioral tests, stereotactic intracerebral cell transplantation, molecular neurobiology, immunohistochemistry etc.

Selected original publications:

1. Doeppner TR, Traut V, Heidenreich A, Kaltwasser B, Bosche B, Bähr M, Hermann DM
   (2016) Conditioned Medium Derived from Neural Progenitor Cells Induces Long-term Post-ischemic Neuroprotection, Sustained Neurological Recovery, Neurogenesis, and Angiogenesis.
   Mol Neurobiol. 2016 Feb 9. [Epub ahead of print].PubMed
2. Doeppner TR, Herz J, Görgens A, Schlechter J, Ludwig A-K, Radtke S, de Miroschedji K, Horn PA, Giebel B, Hermann DM
   (2015) Extracellular Vesicles Improve Post-Stroke Neuroregeneration and Prevent Postischemic Immunosuppression.
   Stem Cells Trans Med. 4(10):1131-43.PubMed
3. Doeppner TR, Kaltwasser B, Teli MK, Bretschneider E, Bähr M, Hermann DM
   (2014) Effects of acute versus post-acute systemic delivery of neural progenitor cells on neurological recovery and brain remodeling after focal cerebral ischemia in mice.
   Cell Death & Disease. 21;5:e1386.
   PubMed
4. Doeppner TR, Doehring M, Bretschneider E, Zechariah A, Kaltwasser B, Müller B, Koch JC, Bähr M, Hermann DM, Michel U
   (2013) MicroRNA-124 protects against focal cerebral ischemia via mechanisms involving Usp14-dependent REST degradation.
   Acta Neuropathol. 126(2):251-65.PubMed
5. Doeppner TR, Mlynarczuk-Bialy I, Kuckelkorn U, Kaltwasser B, Herz J, Hasan MR, Hermann DM, Bähr M
   (2012) The novel proteasome inhibitor BSc2118 protects against cerebral ischemia via HIF-1α accumulation and enhanced angioneurogenesis.
   Brain 135(Pt 11):3282-97.PubMed
6. Doeppner TR, Ewert TAS, Tönges L, Herz J, Zechariah A, ElAli A, Ludwig A-K, Giebel B, Nagel F, Dietz GPH, Weise J, Hermann DM, Bähr M
   (2012) Transduction of neural precursor cells with TAT-Hsp70 chaperone: therapeutic potential against ischemic stroke after intrastriatal and systemic transplantation.
   Stem Cells30(6):1297-310.PubMed
7. Doeppner TR, Bretschneider E, Doehring M, Segura I, Sentürk A, Acker-Palmer A, Hasan MR, Elali A, Hermann DM, Bähr M
   (2011) Enhancement of endogenous neurogenesis in ephrin-B3 deficient mice after transient focal cerebral ischemia.
   Acta Neuropathol. 122(4):429-42.

Search complete listing on PubMed

Regine Kruse (Technician)

Jalal Omrani, M.Sc. (PhD student)

Khalid Tai (PhD)

Bozena Zechmeister (PhD)

Xuan Zheng, M.Sc. (PhD student)