Research

Klaus Unsicker hat wichtige Beiträge zur Entwicklung von neuroendokrinen Neuralleistenderivaten und Bedeutung von Wachstumsfaktoren, insbesondere von Mitgliedern der FGF- und TGF-ß-Familie, im Nervensystem geliefert. Er hat über 30 Jahre Lehrstühle an den Universitäten Marburg und Heidelberg geleitet, das IZN und BIOQUANT Heidelberg mitbegründet und zahlreiche Forschungsverbünde initiiert. Für die Aufklärung der Rolle von FGF-2 und TGF-ß bei der Regulierung von Nervenzellüberleben und –tod während der Entwicklung, nach Läsionen und bei neurodegenerativen Krankheiten (z. B. Morbus Parkinson) hat er Pionierarbeit geleistet. Wichtige Arbeiten auf dem Gebiet der Neuralleistenentwicklung betrafen die molekulare Kontrolle der Differenzierung von chromaffinen Zellen. Gegenwärtige Arbeiten adressieren u. a. die neuralen Funktionen eines neuen TGF-ß Mitglieds, GDF-15.

Klaus Unsicker has made seminal contributions in the fields of neural crest development and functions of growth factors in the nervous system, notably members of the FGF and TGF-ß families. For more that 30 years he has chaired departments of anatomy at the universities of Marburg and Heidelberg; he is a co-founder of the IZN and BIOQUANT Heidelberg and has initiated numerous research alliances. He is distinguished for his pioneering work on the role of FGF-2 and TGF-ß in the regulation of neuron survival and death during development, following lesions, and in neurodegenerative diseases (e. g. Parkinson's disease). Important work on neural crest development concerns the molecular control of chromaffin cell differentiation. Current work includes, inter alia, neural functions of a novel member of the TGF-ß family, GDF-15.

Career

• since 2009 Guest Professor, Department of Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Germany
• 2006 Visiting Professor, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Finland
• 2000-2004 Founding Member and Director, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences (IZN), University of Heidelberg, Germany
• 1992-2009 Full Professor, Anatomy & Cell Biology, Director Neuroanatomy, University of Heidelberg, Germany
• 1989-1990 Visiting Professor, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, NIH / NCI Laboratory for Chemoprevention (M. Sporn), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
• 1983-1984 Visiting Professor, Department of Biology (S. Varon), University of California at San Diego, USA
• 1978-1992 Full Professor, Anatomy & Cell Biology, Director Neuroanatomy, University of Marburg, Germany
• 1976-1977 Associate Professor, Anatomy, University of Kiel, Germany
• 1970-1975 Postdoctoral Fellow
• 1973 Habilitation / Docent, Anatomy, University of Kiel, Germany
• 1968 M.D., Anatomy, University of Kiel, Germany
• 1961–1968 Medical School, Universities of Bonn, Munich, Kiel, Germany

Projects

• 2009-2012 Member DFG Collaborative Research Grant (SFB) 592 “Signaling mechanisms in embryogenesis and organogenesis”
• 2004-2009 Vice Speaker SFB / DFG Collaborative Research Grant (SFB) 636 „Learning and Memory“
• 2003-2009 Coordinator Partnership Hebrew University Jerusalem / University Heidelberg
• 2001-2007 Founding Member BIOQUANT Heidelberg, Germany
• 1999-2007 Speaker SFB / DFG Collaborative Research Grant (SFB) 488 „Molecular and Cellular Bases of Neural Development“
• 1998-2006 Speaker DFG Collaborative Research Group “Central Aminergic Systems”
• 1994-1999 Member DFG Collaborative Research Grant (SFB) 317 “Molecular Neurobiology”

Functions

• since 2010 Member Scientific Advisory Board, Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Finland
• 2009-2010 President Evaluation Committee for Biology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
• 2005-2006 Rapporteur, Neuroscience Institutes Seewiesen/Andechs, Martinsried, Göttingen, Germany
• 2004-2012 Speaker Neuroscience Panel, German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 1998-2000 President International Society for Developmental Neuroscience
• 1995-1999 Member Committees for Collaborative Research Grants, German Research Foundation
• 1994-1995 President Anatomical Society
• 1992-1996 Scientific Advisory Board, Society of German Natural Scientists and Physicians
• 1990 Ad hoc Mitglied National Institutes of Health USA, Neuroscience Panel B

Honours and Memberships

• 2007 Honorary Membership Romanian Society for Cell Biology
• 2003 Honorary doctorate, University Marburg, Germany
• 2001 Aschoff Medal, Medical Society and Faculty, University Freiburg, Germany
• 1997 Max-Planck Research Award for International Cooperation
• 1997 Jan Swammerdam Lecture Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• 1992 German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 1981 Research Medal University of Helsinki, Finland