Long term trainings of our researchers in the laboratories of our partners
Acquired scientific experiences at the Brain Research Institute, Zurich University, Switzerland by Ana Maria Buga (Workpackage 2 and 3):
The aim of the project was: i) to investigate the migration pathways of different cell types in situ; ii) to identify gene profiles involved in regeneration; iii) to describe the phenotype of cells involved in regeneration. In order to perform this she visited the cooperation partner's laboratory of Dr. Olivier Raineteau. There she had the opportunity to work with Mash1-GFP transgenic mice. Additionally she learned techniques of working on slice cultures from cortex and hippocampus using these transgenic mice. She also had the opportunity to learn new techniques for RNA extraction, cells sorting and genotyping. This gave her the chance to increase her experience in this field of transgenic models mice and offered her the opportunity to implement the transgenic mice model in the research laboratory in Greifswald.
Scientific experiences at the Laboratory of Neural Stem Cells (Head: Prof. Dr. Zaal Kokaia), Lund University, Sweden by Ana Maria Buga (Workpackage 2 and 3):
To train Dr. Ana Maria Buga in regenerative medicine applications she joined our partner laboratory in Lund for one month, and learned (i) to stain brain sections by immunofluorescence; (ii) to quantify inflammation after stroke using stereo logical methods (WP 2). For training on neurorestoration Dr. Buga learned (i) to visualize apoptotic (dying) cells and to (ii) calculate the volume of the damage inflicted by stroke using stereo logical approaches (WP 3). These methods were transferred to our laboratory in Greifswald.
Scientific experiences at the Laboratory of Neural Stem Cells (Head: Prof. Dr. Zaal Kokaia), Lund University, Sweden by Stephanie Huebner within the Workpackage 4:
The long-term stay at our cooperation partner in Lund gave her the opportunity to learn several techniques and methods about preparation and cultivation of neural stem cells of certain origin as well as their transplantation. Within a cooperation project she was able to take part on animal behavior tests, immunofluorescence stainings and analysis of the results. Therefore her research report is divided into three parts: (I) preparation and cultivation of stem cells of different origin, (II) transplantation procedures and (III) insights into the cooperation project.
Scientific experiences at the Institute of Neuropathology (Head Prof. Dr. Adriano Aguzzi), University Hospital Zurich by Dr. Anja Brenn within the Workpackage 5:
During the research stay in the partners laboratory, Anja Brenn had the chance to work – under the supervision of Dr. Jeppe Falsig Pedersen - on a project with the following title: Role of Microglial Phagocytosis in Prion Disease.
The aim of the proposed project was to investigate the role of microglial phagocytosis in prion disease and its possible role in prion containment. Organotypic cerebellar slice cultures prepared from Tga20-TK-mice (Tga20 mice overexpress PrPC), represent a suitable ex vivo model to study prion-induced neurodegeneration (Falsig 2008). These cultures will be prion inoculated and microglia will be depleted. Organotypic slices are incubated with infectious inoculum as free-floating sections, washed and cultured for up to 8 weeks. To modify microglial phagocytosis, microglia deficient slice cultures will be reconstituted with murine embryonic stem cell derived microglia (ESdM) precursors overexpressing GFP.
Scientific experiences at the Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, UK, by Mirjam Krautwald within Workpackage 6:
During her visit at the partner institute in Newcastle in the laboratory of Prof. Hanns Lochmüller she had the opportunity to learn several techniques and methods for the functional characterization of cation conducting membrane proteins in mouse muscle tissue. In the first project the analysis of skeletal muscle function of mice in vivo by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was demonstrated. In another project she was able to test the reactivity and specificity of two polyclonal rabbit-antisera against the two cation channel proteins TRPV2 and TRPV4 (TRP, transient receptor potential). Experiments included Western Blot Analysis, immunohistochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy of isolated muscle cells and tissue sections.
Scientific experiences at the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience (Head Prof. Dr. Alexander Sack), Maastricht Universiteit by Marianne Christel (Workpackage 7):
During her visit at the coorperation partner's facility, our strategic partner Dr. Alexander T. Sack and colleagues used advanced technologies for brain stimulation together with the member of the neurorehabilitation research group from Greifswald. Both group's leaders planned a stimulation protocol in advance that was then performed at the cooperation partner's lab during the visit: MR-based individual head and brain models had been constructed for individual subjects and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was performed at several cortical motor areas using TMS neuronavigation. Thereby, she gained on-site experience with brain model-based neuronavigation for TMS and rTMS. As a consequence, the neurorehabilitation research group's ability to perform neuronavigated TMS and rTMS could greatly be enhanced.