Jasmin Hefendehl
Principle 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
Peter Breunig
PhD Student
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
Jan Hofmann
PhD Student
In humans 90% of all Alzheimer’s disease patients show a co-occurrence with some kind of cerebrovascular impairment, such as stroke or small vessel disease. Pericytes which line blood vessels in the brain are known to be involved in both diseases. These cells will be analysed for changes in gene expression levels using single cell RNA-sequencing. This shall clarify how pericytes are involved in both diseases in order to potentially identify novel therapeutic targets and disease markers.
E-mail: jan.hofmann@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42523
Eloah De Biasi
PhD Student
I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at the Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho in Brazil. I continued my studies in Frankfurt, where I finished my Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, at the Goethe Universität, focusing on fear conditioning and dopaminergic neurons. Currently, I am pursuing my PhD in the Hefendehl group, where I investigate the role of pericytes in vascular amyloidosis.
E-mail: elobiasi@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: +49(0)69 798 42523
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
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
MSc Student
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences from the Goethe University in Frankfurt. Currently, I am completing my Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience. My master’s thesis is a collaboration between Prof. Hefendehl’s group and Dr. Martin Beck’s group at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics. I am investigating the interaction of mouse pericytes and amyloid-beta using cryo-electron tomography (cryoET).
E-mail: s8792607@stud.uni-frankfurt.de
Neurovascular Disorders 