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Peter Abel is leaving the lab
With a heavy heart we are bidding farewell to Peter Abel. Peter has started an apprenticeship for Administrative Management (Kfm. für Büromanagement) back in August 2023. He will eventually finish his apprenticeship this June. Our loss, however, is a benefit for Dezernat P (Human Resources) of Saarland University in Saarbrücken. Effective immediately, Peter will transition to his new position. We wish you the very best, Peter!
Daniel Speyerer defended his thesis
We congratulate Daniel Speyerer who has successfully defended his MD thesis today. Daniel's work focused on the interaction of nerve fibers with chemosensory cells of the trachea. The title of his thesis is Analysis of functional cross-talk between tuft cells and nerve fibers in the trachea (original German title “Untersuchung der funktionellen Verschaltung zwischen Bürstenzellen und Nervenfasern in der Trachea”). Daniel will eventually conclude his studies of human medicine by the end of this year followed by taking up a residency in cardiology. We wish you all the best. Cheers, Daniel!
Roses are red, violets are blue...
Meet artist Nosaibah Alakkam and her artwork
Lab member and graduate student Nosaibah Alakkam exhibits her artwork Flowers at the Kunst in der Mensa exhibition. We are excited to have an artist among us. Carry on, Nosaibah!
The Genome Puzzle
Inaugural lecture of Dr. Stephan Maxeiner
Dr. Stephan Maxeiner has given his inaugural lecture with the title “The Genome Puzzle” introducing the audience to his research interests largely based on the ASD gene Neuroligin-4 and the genes of the pseudoautosomal region. Stephan has been awarded the academic title “Privatdozent” by the Medical School of Saarland University through Vice Dean of Clinics Prof. Wolfgang Reith.
A new doctoral student arrived...
…we welcome 6th semester student of human medicine Mohamad Alsamel to the lab. Mohamed pursues his research semester in our lab this summer. Welcome, Mohamad!
Functional Microendoscopy Reveals Calcium Responses of Single Cells in Tracheal Tuft Cells and Kidney Podocytes
We are happy to announce the publication of a new paper with substantial contribution from our lab. Mohamed Elhawy, Daniel Speyerer, and Gabi Krasteva-Christ are co-authoring the following paper:
Dancker TA, Elhawy MI, Rittershauß R, Tian Q, Schwarz Y, Hoffmann MDA, Carlein C, Wyatt A, Wahl V, Speyerer D, Kandah A, Boehm U, Prates Roma L, Bruns D, Lipp P, Krasteva-Christ G, Lauterbach MA. Functional Microendoscopy Reveals Calcium Responses of Single Cells in Tracheal Tuft Cells and Kidney Podocytes. Small. 2025. e2411341. doi: 10.1002/smll.202411341. PMID: 40166809.
Comprehensive analysis of the rodent-specific probasin gene reveals its evolutionary origin in the pseudoautosomal region and provides novel insights into rodent phylogeny
We have just received notice that a manuscript from our lab has been accepted in Biology. In this paper we follow the phylogenetic fate of probasin, a prostate-specific gene exclusive to mouse-like rodents.
Paper featured by News Outlet of Saarland University
Our most recent publication in Nature Communications “Tracheal tuft cells release ATP and link innate to adaptive immunity in pneumonia” has been featured by the news outlet of Saarland University.
To read the full article, please, click here.
Tracheal tuft cells release ATP and link innate to adaptive immunity in pneumonia
The new year 2025 has started on a good note, our manuscript entitled “Tracheal tuft cells release ATP and link innate to adaptive immunity in pneumonia”, a collaborative effort of different labs of Saarland University, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Ludwig-Maximillians-University, Munich, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Saarbrücken, and others, has been accepted for publication in Nature Communications.
Case report has been accepted for publication
We are happy to share good news: Our case report with the title Rare superior and middle trunk fusion accompanied by altered division rearrangement results in a unique brachial plexus variant: a case report has been accepted for publication in the journal Diagnostics. The case report is rooted in an observation that has been made during the dissection class in the fall/winter term 2022/23. Authors are students of human medicine Andreas M. Schlüter and Konstantin Redl (both share the first-authorship), Prof. Thomas Tschernig, Dr. Stephan Maxeiner, and Prof. Gabriela Krasteva-Christ.
Jennifer Kuprion receives MD thesis grant
Jennifer Kuprion, student of human medicine, who works on her medical thesis in the Krasteva-Christ lab, competed succuessfully with her research proposal application and receives now funding by the Medical School of Saarland University.
Lab Members participated in the "Homburger Firmenlauf 2024"
Members of our lab have participated in the Homburger Firmenlauf. Notably, the team comprising Malin Zylka, Maria Grammer, and Caroline Klotzenbücher ranked 11th among all female teams. Congratulations to all participants!
Pascal Henrich defended his thesis
Pascal Henrich, currently resident in radiology at Winterberg hospital, Saarbrücken, defended his thesis succuessfully to acquire the title "Dr. med." Congratulation, Pascal!
...and more students will join our lab this summer!
Several more students decided to join the lab. Welcome!
Jonah Busch, Paul Könnel, and Marius Niemann
Welcome to new medical students joining our team!
In the summer semester several new MD students embark on their persuit to perform research for their respective MD theses. The Lab welcomes: Maria Grammer, Emely Herrmann, Jennifer Kuprion, and Florian Friedrich.
HOMFOR funding awarded to Dr. Hollenhorst and Dr. Elhawy
Dr. Monika Hollenhorst has been awarded funding by HOMFOR2024, and Dr. Mohamed Elhawy has been awarded HOMFORexzellent by the Medical School of Saarland University. Congratulations!
Simon Zaffalon defended his thesis
Resident of Cardiology Simon Zaffalon has succuessfully defended his thesis. Congratulations, Simon!
Human airway tuft cells influence the mucociliary clearance through cholinergic signalling
The lab is happy to receive news about one most recently submitted manuscript to Respiratory Research.
Please, follow the link to its PubMed listing:
Hollenhorst MI*, Husnik T*, Zylka M, Duda N, Flockerzi V, Tschernig T, Maxeiner S#, Krasteva-Christ G#. Human airway tuft cells influence the mucociliary clearance through cholinergic signalling. Respir Res. 2023 24(1):267. doi: 10.1186/s12931-023-02570-8. PMID: 37925434 */# shared authorships
Three new medical students join our team
Starting this October, students of human medicine, Andreas Schlüter, Lukas Walter and Samuel Zeitz join our lab to persue their research topic.
Frederick Schweizer defended his thesis
Frederick Schweizer, resident of internal medicine, has been awarded the title Dr. med. upon defending his thesis succuessfully. Congratulations, Frederick!
Nico König and Peter Abel join the Lab
We welcome two new members in our team: Nico König joins as an apprentice our tech support, Peter Abel joins Judith de Schryver in our administrative team as an apprentice.
Dr. Monika Hollenhorst is recipient of the "Forschungspreis der Stadt Homburg"
Our team member Monika Hollenhorst has been awarded the Forschungspreis der Stadt Homburg for her work regarding the role of brush cells in infectious processes. Her work has recently been published in the prestigiousJournal of Clinical Investigation. Former and current lab members have contributed to this article, Saskia B. Evers, Noran Abdel Wadood, Alaa Salah, Gabriela Krasteva-Christ, and other labs.
Caroline and Daniel receive MD thesis grant
Medical Students Caroline Klozenbücher and Daniel Speyerer, who work on their medical theses in the Krasteva-Christ lab, competed succuessfully with their research proposal applications and receive funding by the Medical School of Saarland University.
The Lab publishes two reviews in the Journal of Physiology
Two independent reviews were published in the May issue of the Journal of Physiology. Monika published a review entitledChemosensory cells in the respiratory tract as crucial regulators of innate immune responses, Stephan's review highlights Pitfalls of using sequence databases for heterologous expression studies. Both articles are part of the collection New roles for ion channels and transporters in health and disease.