Christian Rosenmund | “The roles of synaptotagmins in neurotransmitter release”

Cellular and molecular neuroscience \ Manfred Eigen lecture theatre Neurotransmitter release requires a release apparatus at the presynaptic active zone, which regulates several steps in the process of preparing synaptic vesicles for fusion and utilising the action potential induced Ca2+ signal to rapidly trigger vesicle exocytosis. I will provide experimental data that describe and compare the role of synaptotagmin 1…

Susana Castro Obregón | “Molecular basis for autophagy dysfunction and neuronal senescence”

Cellular and molecular neuroscience \ Manfred Eigen lecture theatre A main hallmark of aging in several species is autophagy dysfunction, and pharmaceutical or genetic interventions that improve its function delay aging symptoms. Yet, why autophagy becomes dysfunctional with age is still poorly understood. We discovered that neuronal senescence is caused by autophagic flux impairment, which seems to be based on…

Michael Grange | “Structural cell pathology: imaging the sub-cellular molecular makeup of the brain”

Cellular and molecular neuroscience \ Manfred Eigen lecture theatre Studying biological structures within intact tissues requires methods that can prepare very thin sections while preserving the sample’s native state, which remains technically challenging. Samples must be rapidly frozen to retain hydration and minimise preparation artifacts. I will describe approaches that use advanced ion beam and electron microscopy techniques to simplify…