Helmholtz Zentrum München
Institute of Developmental Genetics
Neuroimaging Group
Ingoldstaedter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg
D-85764 - Munich
Germany

+49 (0)89 3187 3036
+49 (0)89 3187 3192
reinhard.koester@helmholtz-muenchen.de

Job opportunities

The Zebrafish Neuroimaging Group aims to understand the molecular and cell biological mechanisms that govern the migration of neuronal precursor cells in the developing central nervous system and in particular in the cerebellum.

By combining mutant and transgenic cell analysis with time-lapse imaging we try to elucidate how migrating neuronal precursors co-ordinate proliferation and initiate migration, interact with co-migrating cells, make pathfinding decisions, stop migration and adopt a specific fate directly in the living organism. Moreover, we establish bio-imaging accessible disease models for neuroblastoma formation, neuronal migration and neurodegeneration disorders for elucidating mechanisms of disease-etiology, characterizing neuroregenerative processes and developing disease-interfering and preventing strategies.

In addition, we are establishing behavioral assays to evaluate the locomotive capacities of zebrafish larvae and adults allowing us to relate in vivo molecule, organelle and cell bio-imaging observations in the cerebellum to the functional consequences for the organism.

M. Distel, M. F. Wullimann, R. W. Köster (2009). Optimized Gal4 genetics for permanent gene expression mapping in zebrafish. PNAS 106: 13365-13370

K. Volkmann, S. Rieger, A. Babaryka, R. W. Köster (2008). The zebrafish cerebellar rhombic lip is spatially subdivided in producing granule cell populations of different functional compartments. Developmental Biology 313: 167-180.

S. Rieger, K. Volkmann, R. W. Köster (2008). Polysialyltransferase expression is linked to neuronal migration in the developing and adult zebrafish. Developmental Dynamics 237: 276-285.

R. W. Köster, S. E. Fraser (2006). FGF-signaling mediates regeneration of the differentiating zebrafish cerebellum through repatterning of the anterior hindbrain and reinitiation of neuronal migration. Journal of Neuroscience 26: 7293-7304.

Zebrafish Developmental Biology and Genetics

BioImaging

In vivo cell biology