Head: Grzegorz Sumara

Degrees:

2009 PhD, Institute of Physiology, University of Zürich and the Institute of Cell Biology, ETH Hoenggerberg, Zürich, Switzerland
2004 Master of Science in Biology, Research Institute of Biology and Earth Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland

Research trainings:

2013 PostDoctoral training, Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Strasbourg, France
2009-2012 PostDoctoral training, Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University, New York, USA
2004-2008 PhD thesis (Mentor: Prof. R. Ricci), Institute of Cell Biology, ETH Hoenggerberg, Zürich, Switzerland
2004 PhD thesis, Institute of Physiology, University of Zürich, laboratory of Prof. T.F. Luscher, Zürich, Switzerland, under the direct supervision of Dr. Ricci
2003-2004 Undergraduate practical studies, Institute of Physiology University of Zürich, laboratory of Prof. T.F. Luscher, Zürich, Switzerland
2002 Undergraduate practical studies, Institute of Molecular Pathology, I.M.P., laboratory of Prof. E.F. Wagner, Vienna, Austria

Professional employments:

2013-2019 Group Leader at the Rudolf Virchow Center (RVC) for Experimental Biomedicine, University of Würzburg, Germany
2013 PostDoctoral training, Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Strasbourg, France
2009-2012 PostDoctoral training, Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University, New York, USA

Honors and fellowships:

2019 Head of the Dioscuri Centre of Scientific Excellence. A Programme initiated by the Max Planck Society (MPG), jointly managed with the National Science Centre in Poland (NCN), and mutually funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland (MNiSW) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
2018 Part of the Collaborative Research Center/Transregio – CRC/TR 240 “Platelets – Molecular, cellular and systemic functions in health and disease”
2016 European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant
2014 Emmy Noether grant for young group leaders from the German Research Foundation (DFG)
2013 Rising Star Fellowship (EFSD/Janssen Research Fellowship 2013) from the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes
2009 Long-term postdoctoral fellowship from the Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO)

Staff: Angel Loza Valdes (PhD), Grzegorz Sumara (group leader), recruitment ongoing, (photo of current members of the lab in Würzburg)

Research profile:

Our research concentrates on unraveling of conventional (kinase-dependent) and non-canonical (dependent on ubiquitin-proteasome system) signaling pathways regulating metabolism of adipocytes, hepatocytes, enterocytes and pancreatic beta cells. Furthermore, we investigate how these signaling events contribute to the development of metabolic diseases. To study the complex signaling network regulating basic metabolic processes we combine cell biology, biochemical and omics approaches with mouse genetics. Our mouse genetic experiments concentrate on diacylglycerol-activated Protein kinase D (PKDs) family members, which are central regulators of adipose tissue, liver, digestive system and pancreatic function and are implicated in development of obesity as well as T2D. Using high-throughput screening approaches, we aim at identification of novel canonical and unconventional components of signaling machinery regulating adipocytes function and their contribution to the development of multiple metabolic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D) as well as cancer-associated cachexia (CAC). Finally, we are employing our findings for generation of novel precision medicine therapies to restore metabolic fitness of the organism affected by the major metabolic diseases.

Current research activities:

• Identification of conventional and non-canonical signaling modules (E3 ligases and DUBs) in the regulation of lipolysis
• Decoding signaling events inducing lipolysis in adipocytes during metabolic diseases
• Unraveling the impact of PKD-dependent signaling on lipid absorption, adipose tissue function and development of metabolic diseases
• Identification of mechanisms of organ cross-talk in regulation of pancreatic beta cell function

Selected publications:

Löffler MC, Mayer AE, Trujillo Viera J, Loza Valdes A, El-Merahbi R, Ade CP, Karwen T, Schmitz W, Slotta A, Erk M, Janaki-Raman S, Matesanz N, Torres J, Marcos M, Sabio G, Eilers M, Schulze A and Sumara G.  Protein kinase D1 deletion in adipocytes enhances energy dissipation and protects against adiposity. EMBO Journal, Volume 37(22) 15^th November 2018

Cai K, El-Merahbi R, Löffler M, Mayer A, Sumara G. Ndrg1 promotes adipocytes differentiation and sustains their function. Scientific Reports, 7:7191, 3rd August 2017

Trujillo Viera J, El-Merahbi R, Nieswandt B, Stegner D, Sumara G. Phospholipases D1 and D2 Suppress Appetite and Protect against Overweight. PLoS One, 11(6): e0157607. doi:10.1371, 14th Jun 2016

El-Merahbi R, Löffler M, Mayer A, Sumara G. The roles of peripheral serotonin in metabolic homeostasis. FEBS Lett, Volume 589, Issue15, Pages 1728-1734, 8th July 2015

Sumara G, Sumara O, Kim J, Karsenty G. Gut-derived serotonin is a multifunctional determinant to fasting adaptation. Cell metab. Issue 16, Pages 588-600, 7th November 2012

Oury F*, Sumara G*, Sumara O, Ferron M, Chang H, Smith CE, Hermo L, Suarez S, Roth BL, Ducy P, Karsenty G. Endocrine Regulation of Male Fertility by the Skeleton. Cell. Volume 144, pages 796-809, 4th March 2011, *equal contribution

Sumara G, Formentini I, Collins S, Sumara I, Windak R, Bodenmiller B, Ramracheya R, Caille D, Jiang H, Platt KA, Meda P, Aebersold R, Rorsman P, Ricci R. Regulation of PKD by the MAPK p38delta in insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. Cell. Volume 136, Issue 2, Pages 235-248, 23rd January 2009

Ricci R*, Sumara G*, Sumara I, Rozenberg I, Kurrer M, Akhmedov A, Hersberger M, Eriksson U, Eberli FR, Becher B, Borén J, Chen M, Cybulsky MI, Moore KJ, Freeman MW, Wagner EF, Matter CM and Lüscher TF. Requirement of JNK2 for scavenger receptor A-mediated foam cell formation in atherogenesis. Science. Volume 306, Issue 5701, pages 1558-1561, 26th Nov 2004,

*equal contribution.