Dresbach, Thomas, Prof. Dr.

Professor of Anatomy

• 1996: Dr.rer.nat. (Biology), University of Bonn
• 1997-2003: DFG research fellow and postdoctoral Fellow with E. Gundelfinger at the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology
• 2003-2010: Teacher and independent research group leader at the University of Heidelberg, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology (Dept. Prof. Dr. J. Kirsch)
• since 2010: Professor at the School of Medicine, University of Göttingen

Major Research Interests
Our group studies synapse formation with particular focus on the biogenesis of presynaptic nerve terminals. Our goal is to understand the mechanisms of synaptogenesis in enough detail to pinpoint molecular causes of synaptopathies. We study neuronal cultures to unravel fundamental mechanisms operating at the heart of synaptogenesis, and we have begun to study specialized synapses such as the giant synapses of the mammalian auditory system to determine how these mechanisms act together to generate the remarkable specification and heterogeneity of synapses in the brain.
Using live imaging, molecular biological and ultrastructural approaches, we currently analyze
- the role of novel, vertebrate-specific presynaptic proteins in synaptic function
- the trafficking and assembly of synaptic organelles and protein complexes
- the transsynaptic signalling events controlling presynaptic differentiation.
These efforts should help us understand both the common principles by which the various types of synapses are generated, and how they are fine-tuned for specific tasks, such as a particular strength, reliability or adaptivity.

Homepage Department/Research Group
https://anatomy.umg.eu/en/publications/

ORCID: 0000-0002-2030-4787