Jasmin Hefendehl
Principal Investigator
Professor at the Insitute of Cell Biology & Neuroscience and Buchmann Insitute for molecular Life Siences
The main focus of my research is the early phase of Alzheimer’s Disease and its impact on cell function in the neurovascular unit. Using models of comorbidity we are particularly interested in basic research with a direct link to a potential therapeutical application.
E-mail: Hefendehl@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42528
Veronika Schirmer
Administrative Assistant
Office Monday-Thursday
8:30 am – 1 pm
E-mail: schirmer@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42523
Peter Breunig
Postdoctoral Fellow
For my Bachelors, I studied Biosciences at the Ruprecht- Karls University in Heidelberg. I continued my studies at the University in Heidelberg with a Masters in Molecular Bioscience- Major Neuroscience and completed my Master Thesis “Effects of exogenic stressors on endogenous tau protein phosphorylation in hiPSC derived neurons” at the BioMedX innovation center. To complete my studies, I moved to Frankfurt where I investigate molecular alterations in pericytes in the comorbidity of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI). I will use primary culture and co- culture methods to analyze possible changes in the pericytes way of interacting with the amyloid- beta (Aβ) protein and the cells Aβ clearing capacity both in vitro and in vivo.
E-mail: breunig@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42523
Michael J. Candlish
Postdoctoral Fellow
I completed my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pharmacology and biomedical sciences, respectively. I then undertook research focused on unraveling the diverse physiological roles of kisspeptin for my doctoral degree (Dr. rer. nat.). In my current position as a postdoctoral researcher in the neurovascular disorders group, I use two-photon microscopy to dissect the long-term interactions and mechanisms underlying the comorbidity between cerebrovascular pathology and Alzheimer’s disease.
E-mail: Candlish@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42523
Murphy DeMeglio
PhD Student
I completed my Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Georgia with a focus on biological psychology. I obtained my master’s in Neuroscience from the University of Oldenburg. After joining the Hefendehl group for my thesis project, I received the Josef Buchman PhD Starter Scholarship to continue my research investigating the role of lipid mediators in pericyte detachment and migration and amyloid beta plaque toxicity in Alzheimer’s Disease.
E-mail: demeglio@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42523
Christina Sauerland
PhD Student
After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Biosciences at Goethe University in Frankfurt, I pursued my passion for understanding the complexities of the brain through a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience.
Now, in my PhD at the Neurovascular Disorders Laboratory, my primary focus is on studying cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in the brain. Specifically, I am investigating the role of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM) in CMBs. To achieve this, I will utilize live 2-photon imaging.
E-mail: Sauerland@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Melanie Heyde
MSc Student
I completed my bachelor studies in biological sciences at the Goethe University in Frankfurt. For my master’s degree, I chose the program Physical Biology of Cells and Cell Interactions. To finish my master studies, I joined the neurovascular disorders group. In my thesis project, I will investigate the impact of acute myocardial infarcts on the neurovascular unit in mouse models.
E-mail: s2890314@stud.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42584
Lamia Arbib
MSc Student
I have finished my Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, where I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Neuroscience. For my Master’s thesis, I joined the Hefendehl Group to investigate the bioactivity of natural products from the atropopeptide family.
E-mail: larbib@students.uni-mainz.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42523
Remo Gualdi
Msc Student
Prior to the Master’s program of Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, I completed my bachelor’s degree in Psychology where I focused on pharmacology in psychiatry and for my thesis, I investigated facial emotion recognition in individuals with a variety of depressive and/or anxiety disorders. Now for my Master’s thesis I am looking into the influence of strokes on the Amyloid-β plaque deposition in Alzheimer’s disease.
E-mail: remo.gualdi@stud.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42523
Alena Godunova
MSc Student
With a background in Biology and a specialization in Human Physiology during my bachelor’s studies, I continued my academic journey in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Master’s program at Goethe University Frankfurt. I became part of the Hefendehl Group to conduct my Master’s thesis, where I investigate the impact of probucol on the expression of lipid transporters and amyloid clearance in a murine model of Alzheimer’s disease.
E-mail: s3248212@stud.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42523
Alumni
Eloah de Biasi PhD thesis
Almas Mahmood Lab assistant
Jan Hofmann PhD thesis
Madeleine Gruenaer Bsc thesis
Anna Lena Wurz Bsc thesis
Joshua Koheler Msc thesis
Murphy deMeglio Msc thesis now PhD student in the lab
Christina Sauerland Msc thesis now PhD student in the lab
Paola Najera Maldonado Msc thesis
Neurovascular Disorders 