Prof. Dr. Martin Biel

Keywords: ion channels, genetic mouse models, neuronal circuits, retina, gene therapy

Research methods: molecular biology, genetic mouse models, electrophysiology, imaging, mouse behavior, AAV technologies, organoids, analysis of retinal function (e.g. OCT, ERG), telemetric EEG / ECG

Brief research description:
Our group seeks to understand the role of ion channels in normal physiology and diseased states. Based on these studies we are exploring the druggability of ion channels and design next-generation gene therapy approaches to rescue ion channel function in vivo. Our focus is on CNS including retina and the cardiovascular system including its innervation by the autonomous nervous system. We are particularly interested in cyclic-nucleotide modulated channels (CNG and HCN channels) and endolysosomal ion channels. Our laboratory uses a broad spectrum of methods including genetic mouse models, AAV-mediated gene transfer, imaging, patch-clamp technologies and a variety of telemetric approaches to monitor murine body function in vivo.

GSN students:

current: Manuela Brümmer

graduated: Dr. Lisa Riedmayr

Selected publications:

Becirovic E, Böhm S, Nguyen O, Riedmayr LM, Koch MA, Schulze E, Kohl S, Borsch O, Santos-Ferreira T, Ader M, Michalakis S, Biel M (2016) In vivo analysis of disease-associated point mutations unveils profound differences in mRNA splicing of peripherin-2 in rod and cone photoreceptors. PLOS Genetics 12:e1005811. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005811

Sakurai Y, Kolokoltsov AA, Chen CC, Tidwell MW, Bauta WE, Klugbauer N, Grimm C, Wahl-Schott C, Biel M, Davey RA (2015) Two pore channels control Ebolavirus host cell entry and are drug targets for disease treatment. Science 347, 995-998

Grimm C, Holdt LM, Chen CC, Hassan, H, Jörs S Cuny H, Kissing S, Schröder B, Butz E, Northoff B, Müller C, Spahn S, Castonguay J, Luber CA, Moser M, Lüllmann-Rauch R, Fendel C, Klugbauer N, Griesbeck O, Haas A, Mann M, Bracher F, Teupser D, Saftig P, Biel M, Wahl-Schott C (2014) High Susceptibility to Fatty Liver Disease in Two-pore Channel 2 Deficient Mice. Nat Commun 5:4699. doi:10.1038/ncomms

Fenske S, Mader R, Scharr A, Paparizos C, Cao-Ehlker X, Michalakis S, Shaltiel L, Weidinger M, Stieber J, Feil S, Feil R, Schneider A, Hofmann F, Wahl-Schott CA, Biel M (2011) HCN3 contributes to the ventricular action potential waveform in the murine heart. Circ Res 109:1015-1023

Ludwig A, Zong X, Jeglitsch M, Hofmann F, Biel M (1998) A family of hyperpolarization-activated mammalian cation channels. Nature 393:587-591.