Prof. Dr. Walter Witke

Julika Pitsch
Prof. Dr. Walter Witke

University Professor

Contact

Phone: +49-228 73 4210/11; +49-228 73 4263

Email: w.witke@uni-bonn.de

Weitere Informationen

Education and degrees

1980 – 1985 University of Tübingen, Biochemistry
1986 Diploma, Biochemistry, University of Tübingen
1991 Doctoral thesis, Prof. Dr. Angelika Noegel, Max-Planck Institute Martinsried & Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich

Academic Career

1991 – 1995 Postdoctoral fellow, Brigham&Women’s Hospital, Experimental Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston
1995 – 1996 Instructor in Medicine, Brigham&Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
1996 – 2000 Groupleader, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Mouse Biology Unit, Monterotondo/Italy
2000 – 2009 Senior Scientist and Associate Director, EMBL Mouse Biology Unit, Monterotondo/Italy
Since 2009 Professor of Genetics (W3), Director Institute of Genetics, University Bonn

Awards and Honors

1986-1990 Stipend of ‘Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes’
1991 Doctoral thesis, ‘summa cum laude’
1990-1992 Adolf-Butenandt Award and research fellowship
1992-1994 DFG postdoctoral fellowship
1998 Antonio Scarabino Award, CNR, Italy

Memberships, academic and professional functions

* Board Member, Bonn Forum Biomedicine

* Committee member of ‘Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes’ and ‘German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD’

Most important publications

  1. Gurniak CB, Chevessier F, Jokwitz M, Jönsson F, Perlas E, Richter H, Matern G, Pilo Boyl P, Chaponnier C, Fürst D, Schröder R, Witke W. (2014) Severe protein aggregate myopathy in a knockout mouse model points to an essential role of cofilin2 in sarcomeric actin exchange and muscle maintenance. Eur. J. Cell. Biol., 93(5-6): 252-266.
  2. Flynn KC, Hellal F, Neukirchen D, Jacob S, Tahirovic S, Dupraz S, Stern S, Garvalov BK, Gurniak C, Shaw AE, Meyn L, Wedlich-Söldner R, Bamburg JR, Small JV, Witke W, Bradke F. (2012) ADF/cofilin-mediated actin retrograde flow directs neurite formation in the developing brain. Neuron, 76(6): 1091-1107.
  3. Rust M, Gurniak C, Renner M, Vara H, Morando L, Görlich A. Sassoe-Pognetto M, Al Banchaabouchi M, Giustetto M, Triller A, Choquet D, Witke W. (2010) Learning, AMPA receptor mobility and synaptic plasticity depend on n-cofilin-mediated actin dynamics. EMBO J., 29(11): 1889-1902.
  4. Napoli I, Mercaldo V, Eleuteri B, Zalfa F, Di Marino D, Herlo R, Mohr E, Massimi M, Falconi M,Witke W, Costa-Mattioli M, Sonenberg N, Achsel T, Bagni C. (2008) The Fragile X mental retardation protein represses activity-dependent mRNA translation through Cyfip1/Sra1, a new neuronal 4E-BP. Cell, 134(6): 1042-1054.
  5. Bellenchi GC, Gurniak C, Perlas E, Middei S, Ammassari-Teul M, Witke W. (2007) N-cofilin is associated with neuronal migration disorders and cell cycle control in the cerebral cortex.Genes&Development, 21(18): 2347-2357.
  6. Pilo-Boyl P, Di Nardo A, Kneussel M, Sassoe-Pognetto M, Panzanelli P, Witke W. (2007) Profilin2 contributes to synaptic vesicle exocytosis, neuronal excitability, and novelty-seeking behavior. EMBO J., 26(12): 2991-3002.
  7. Witke W, Sutherland JD, Sharpe A, Arai M, Kwiatkowski DJ. (2001) Profilin1 is essential for cell survival and cell division in early mouse development. Proc Natl Acad Sci., 98(7): 3832-3836.
  8. Schmidt A, Wolde M, Thiele C, Fest W, Kratzin H, Podtelejnikov AV, Witke W, Huttner WB, Söling HD. (1999): Endophilin1 mediates synaptic vesicle formation by transfer of arachidonate to lysophosphatidic acid. Nature, 401(49): 133-141.
  9. Witke W, Sharpe AH, Hartwig JH, Azuma T, Stossel, Kwiatkowski DJ. (1995): Hemostatic, inflammatory and fibroblast responses are blunted in mice lacking gelsolin. Cell, 81(1): 41-51.
  10. Witke W, Schleicher M, Noegel AA. (1992): Redundancy in the microfilament system: abnormal development of Dictyostelium cells lacking two F-actin cross-linking proteins, Cell, 68(1): 53-62.