Göttinger Graduiertenzentrum für Neurowissenschaften, Biophysik und Molekulare Biowissenschaften

Vorbrüggen, Gerd, PD Dr.

Group leader for Molecular Developmental Biology


  • since 2013: Privatdozent, Georg-August-University, Göttingen
  • 2011: Habilitation, Technical University Braunschweig
  • since 2010: Leader of the Research Group Molecular Cell Dynamics, MPI-bpc, Göttingen
  • 2000-2009: Project Group Leader, Dept. Molecular Developmental Biology, MPI-bpc, Göttingen
  • 1994-1999: Postdoctoral fellow, Dept. Molecular Developmental Biology, MPI-bpc Göttingen
  • 1994: Dr. rer. nat., Free University Berlin
  • 1991: Diploma, Free University Berlin




Major Research Interests

We are interested in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying directed cellular migration and adhesion using myogenesis and the migration of primordial germ cells as experimental models. We apply cellular and molecular techniques combined with high-performance imaging methods to investigate the dynamics of migration in vivo. Drosophila is used as a model system since it offers powerful genetic and transgenic approaches to identify and characterize novel gene activities involved in migration and adhesion.


Homepage Department/Research Group

https://www.mpinat.mpg.de/person/11899/3887


Selected Recent Publications


  • Chanana, B., Steigemann, P., Jäckle, H. and Vorbrüggen, G. (2009). Transport and reception of Slit require different sugar chain modifications. PNAS 106(29): 11984-8.
  • Chanana, B., Graf, R., Koledachkina, T., Pflanz, R., and Vorbrüggen, G. (2007). alpha(PS2) integrin-mediated muscle attachment in Drosophila requires the ECM protein Thrombospondin. Mech Dev 124, 463-475.
  • Staudt, N., Fellert, S., Chung, H. R., Jäckle, H., and Vorbrüggen, G. (2006). Mutations of the Drosophila zinc finger-encoding gene vielfältig impair mitotic cell divisions and cause improper chromosome segregation. Mol Biol Cell 17, 2356-2365.
  • Staudt, N., Molitor, A., Somogyi, K., Mata, J., Curado, S., Eulenberg, K., Meise, M., Siegmund, T., Häder, T., Hilfiker, A., Brönner, G., Ephrussi, A., Rorth, P., Cohen, S. M., Fellert, S., Chung, H. R., Piepenburg, O., Schäfer, U., Jäckle, H., and Vorbrüggen, G. (2005). Gain-of-function screen for genes that affect Drosophila muscle pattern formation. PLoS Genet 1, e55.
  • Steigemann, P., A. Molitor, S. Fellert, H. Jäckle, and G. Vorbrüggen. 2004. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan promotes axonal and myotube guidance by slit/robo signaling. Curr Biol 14:225-230