Institute for Biology and Molecular Genetics
Thomas Schimmang

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Schimmang Lab

Hearing loss is one of the main sensory defects affecting especially the populations of industrialized countries. Hearing loss may be caused by exposure to noise, direct damage or genetically inherited with 1 in 1000 newborns affected. However, in industrialized countries especially the exposure to medicaments (e.g. cisplatin for treatment of cancer) and the growing number of aged individuals has led to an increase of chronic hearing loss. The loss of the quality of life in affected persons and the associated costs for diagnosis and treatment of patients are a considerable social and economical burden for our societies.

We are interested in several aspects of the physiology and pathofisiology of the auditory organ, including its development, damage and degeneration of auditory neurons and hair cells, and gene and cell therapy for the inner ear. At the molecular level we are focusing on members of the neurotrophin and Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) gene families, and several transcription factors. To analyse the functions of these gene families in vivo we are using transgenic mouse models. These experiments are complemented with in vitro studies using primary cell cultures. We are developing protocols directed to prevent hearing loss by gene or cell therapy.


 


PROJECTS


Neurotrophin signaling

 


FGF signalling

 


Gene and Cell Therapy

 


Transcriptional regulators

 

 

 

 
 
           
 


Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular
Universidad de Valladolid - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
C/ Sanz y Forés s/n
47003 - Valladolid - SPAIN
Phone: (+34) 983-184-818 Fax: (+34) 983-184-800
schimman@ibgm.uva.es

© Thomas Schimmang and www.cytfusion.com