Research
Principal investigators of the Cologne Graduate School of Ageing Research (CGA) are internationally recognized scientists known for their cutting edge research into diverse topics including genetic determinants of longevity, protein quality control, DNA damage and repair, mitochondria regulation, immunosenescence and inflammation, stem cell and tissue maintenance, organellar and cellular architecture, endocrine control of metabolism, as well as their research into age-related diseases such as neurodegeneration, cancer, diabetes, obesity, kidney dysfunction. Close links between the research groups foster interdisciplinary collaboration and promote the development of novel research approaches.
The laboratories use diverse model systems - from bacteria, yeast, worms, and flies, to fish, mice, cultured cells, and human clinical samples - to delve into basic mechanistic questions. Core facilities provide on-campus platforms for performing genomics, proteomics, lipidomics, imaging, cell sorting, metabolic profiling and phenotyping.
Principal Investigators within our faculty are eligible to serve as mentors for the Master Fellowship Programme.
The laboratories available for the PhD call may vary from year to year; the current list of laboratories for this year's PhD call is available here.
* Most principal investigators own multiple affiliations, only the main affiliations of the CGA partner institutes being mentioned here. Further affiliations can be found e.g. here.
Principal Investigators and their Research Areas *
Prof. Dr. Adam Antebi Lab Website Prof. Dr. Adam Antebi
Director MPI for Biology of Ageing
Molecular Genetics of Ageing
Prof. Dr. Thomas Benzing Lab Website Prof. Dr. Thomas Benzing
CECAD Principal Investigator
Kidney Research
Prof. Dr. Matteo Bergami Lab Website Prof. Dr. Matteo Bergami
CECAD Principal Investigator
Mechanisms of Neuronal De- and Regeneration
Prof. Dr. Andreas Beyer Lab Website Prof. Dr. Andreas Beyer
CECAD Principal Investigator
Cellular Networks and Systems Biology
Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Bozek Lab Website Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Bozek
CECAD Principal Investigator
Data Science of Bioimages
Prof. Dr. Jens Brüning Lab Website Prof. Dr. Jens Brüning
Director of MPI for Metabolism Research
Neuronal Control of Metabolism and Ageing
Prof. Dr. Filipe Cabreiro Lab Website Prof. Dr. Filipe Cabreiro
CECAD Principal Investigator
Microbiome and Ageing
Prof. Dr. Oliver Cornely Lab Website Prof. Dr. Oliver Cornely
CECAD Principal Investigator and Leader Translational Platform
Translation of clinical research findings into practical applications
Dr. Mauro Corrado Lab Website Dr. Mauro Corrado
CECAD Principal Investigator
Study of cardiolipin Synthesis and remodelling in Immunity and Inflammation
Prof. Dr. Irina Dudanova Lab Website Prof. Dr. Irina Dudanova
CECAD Principal Investigator
Molecular Neurodegeneration
Dr. Mafalda Escobar-Henriques Lab Website Dr. Mafalda Escobar-Henriques
CECAD Principal Investigator
Mitochondrial Dynamics in Health and Disease
Dr. Henning Fenselau Lab Website Dr. Henning Fenselau
MPI for Metabolism Research Principal Investigator
Synaptic Transmission in Energy Homeostasis
Dr. Stephanie de Alcantara Fernandes Lab Website Dr. Stephanie de Alcantara Fernandes
MPI for Biology of Ageing
Muscle metabolism and Ageing
Dr. Zak Frentz Lab Website Dr. Zak Frentz
MPI for Biology of Ageing
Systems Biology of Ageing
Prof. Dr. Christian Frezza Lab Website Prof. Dr. Christian Frezza
CECAD Principal Investigator
Metabolomics in Ageing
Prof. Dr. Thorsten Hoppe Lab Website Prof. Dr. Thorsten Hoppe
CECAD Principal Investigator
Proteostasis in Development and Ageing
Dr. Ina Huppertz Lab Website Dr. Ina Huppertz
MPI for Biology of Ageing Principal Investigator
RNA-Binding Proteins in Metabolism and Ageing
Dr. Ron Jachimowicz Lab Website Dr. Ron Jachimowicz
MPI for Biology of Ageing Principal Investigator
Mechanisms of DNA Repair
Dr. Christina Ising Lab Website Dr. Christina Ising
CECAD Principal Investigator
Inflammation and cell death in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies
Prof. Dr. Roland Knorr Lab Website Prof. Dr. Roland Knorr
CECAD Principal Investigator
Morphogenesis of cellular Compartments
Prof. Dr. Natalia Kononenko Lab Website Prof. Dr. Natalia Kononenko
CECAD Principal Investigator
Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration
Prof. Dr. Tatiana Korotkova Lab Website Prof. Dr. Tatiana Korotkova
CECAD Principal Investigator
Neuronal Circuits and Behaviour
Dr. Peter Kreuzaler Lab Website Dr. Peter Kreuzaler
CECAD Principal Investigator
Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer Lab Website Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer
Director MPI for Biology of Ageing
Mitochondrial Proteostasis
Dr. Orsolya Leidecker Lab Website Dr. Orsolya Leidecker
CECAD Principal Investigator
ADP-ribosylation signaling in genome stability maintenance, immunity and ageing
Dr. Ivan Matic Lab Website Dr. Ivan Matic
MPI for Biology of Ageing Principal Investigator
Proteomics of posttranslational Modifications
Prof. Dr. Roman-Ulrich Müller Lab Website Prof. Dr. Roman-Ulrich Müller
CECAD Principal Investigator
RNA-Biology in renal Damage and Cancer
Prof. Dr. Carien Niessen Lab Website Prof. Dr. Carien Niessen
CECAD Scientific Coordinator and Principal Investigator
Cell Architecture in Tissue Homeostasis, Ageing and Disease
Dr. Stephanie Panier Lab Website Dr. Stephanie Panier
MPI for Biology of Ageing Principal Investigator
Genome Instability and Ageing
Prof. Dr. Manolis Pasparakis Lab Website Prof. Dr. Manolis Pasparakis
CECAD Principal Investigator
Cell Death and Inflammation in Tissue Homeostasis and Disease
Prof. Dr. Alfredo Ramirez Lab Website Prof. Dr. Alfredo Ramirez
CECAD Principal Investigator
Neuro(epi)genomics in Age-Related Cognitive Disorders
Dr. Jane Reznick Lab Website Dr. Jane Reznick
CECAD Principal Investigator
Metabolic adaptation in health and disease
Prof. Dr. Jan Riemer Lab Website Prof. Dr. Jan Riemer
CECAD Principal Investigator
Mitochondrial Redoxbiology
Prof. Dr. Elena Rugarli Lab Website Prof. Dr. Elena Rugarli
CECAD Principal Investigator
Pathogenic Mechanisms of Axonal Degeneration
Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher Lab Website Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher
CECAD Principal Investigator
DNA Damage and Ageing
Prof. Dr. Anne Schaefer Lab Website Prof. Dr. Anne Schaefer
Director MPI for Biology of Ageing
Neurobiology of Ageing
Dr. Hannah Scheiblich Lab Website Dr. Hannah Scheiblich
MPI for Biology of Ageing Principal Investigator
Neuroimmunology of Ageing
Dr. Hans-Georg Sprenger Lab Website Dr. Hans-Georg Sprenger
MPI for Biology of Ageing Principal Investigator
Molecular Metabolism & Energy Homeostasis
Dr. Alessandra Stangherlin Lab Website Dr. Alessandra Stangherlin
CECAD Principal Investigator
Circadian Rhythms and Ion Homeostasis
Dr. Sophie Steculorum Lab Website Dr. Sophie Steculorum
MPI for Metabolism Research Principal Investigator
Neuronal Control of Brain Metabolism
Dr. Lukas Steuernagel Lab Website Dr. Lukas Steuernagel
MPI for Metabolism Research Principal Investigator
Neurogenomics
Prof. Dr. Marc Tittgemeyer Lab Website Prof. Dr. Marc Tittgemeyer
MPI for Metabolism Research Principal Investigator
Neuronal Control of Metabolism, Human Neuroimaging, Translational & Computational Neuroscience
Prof. Dr. Achim Tresch Lab Website Prof. Dr. Achim Tresch
CECAD Principal Investigator
RNA metabolism, Epigenomics
Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Trifunovic Lab Website Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Trifunovic
CECAD Principal Investigator
Understanding the Role of mitochondrial (Dys)Function in the Determination of Longevity
Prof. Dr. Mirka Uhlirova Lab Website Prof. Dr. Mirka Uhlirova
CECAD Principal Investigator
Stress Signalling Development and Disease
Dr. Silvana Valtcheva Lab Website Dr. Silvana Valtcheva
MPI for Metabolism Research Principal Investigator
Postpartum neurocircuits
Prof. Dr. David Vilchez Lab Website Prof. Dr. David Vilchez
CECAD Principal Investigator
Proteostasis of Ageing and Stem Cells
Prof. Dr. Johannes Vogt Lab Website Prof. Dr. Johannes Vogt
CECAD Principal Investigator
Bioactive Lipids as Body-Brain Axis Mediators
PD Dr. Thomas Wunderlich Lab Website PD Dr. Thomas Wunderlich
MPI for Metabolism Research Principal Investigator
Mouse Genetics and Obesity-associated Cancer
Dr. Gabriele Zaffagnini Lab Website Dr. Gabriele Zaffagnini
CECAD Principal Investigator
Protein Homeostasis during Female Reproduction and Reproductive Ageing
Alumni Principal Investigators
Dr. Hisham Bazzi Lab Website Dr. Hisham Bazzi
CECAD Principal Investigator
Cytoskeletal Organizers in Mammalian Development and Homeostasis
Dr. Constantinos Demetriades Lab Website Dr. Constantinos Demetriades
MPI for Biology of Ageing Principal Investigator
Cell Growth control in Health and age-related Disease
Dr. Martin Denzel Lab Website Dr. Martin Denzel
MPI for Biology of Ageing Principal Investigator (Alumni)
Metabolic and Genetic Regulation of Ageing
Prof. Dr. Ana J. Garcia-Saéz Lab Website Prof. Dr. Ana J. Garcia-Saéz
CECAD Principal Investigato
Membrane Biophysics
Prof. Dr. Silvia von Karstedt Lab Website Prof. Dr. Silvia von Karstedt
CECAD Principal Investigator
Cell Death and Cancer Evolution
Prof. Dr. Peter Kloppenburg Lab Website Prof. Dr. Peter Kloppenburg
CECAD Principal Investigator
Analysis of Biophysical Parameters and Cellular Mechanisms Controlling Energy Homeostasis
Dr. Gilles Storelli Lab Website Dr. Gilles Storelli
CECAD Principal Investigator
Stress Signalism and Metabolism
Prof. Dr. Henning Walczak Lab Website Prof. Dr. Henning Walczak
CECAD Principal Investigator
Cell Death and Inflammation