Göttingen Graduate Center for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences

Sereda, Michael Werner, Prof. Dr.

  • 2007: Group leader ”Translational Neurogenetics“, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences
  • 2008: Board certification in Neurology (Facharzt für Neurologie)
  • 2008: Attending Neurologist and Head Neurogenetics Outpatients Clinic, Dept. of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Göttingen (UMG)
  • 2010: Associate Professorship “Neurology and Neurogenetics” (Habilitation)
  • 2012: DFG-Heisenberg Professorship “Hereditary Neuropathies", Dept. of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Göttingen, UMG
  • 2017: Tenured Professorship of Neurology, Dept. of Clinical Neurophysiology/Department of Neurology, UMG



Major Research Interests
We pursue a basic research interest in glia cell biology, axon-glia interaction and mechanisms of diseases of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). We have generated a transgenic rat model of the most frequent human neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A). This disease is associated with a partial duplication of chromosome 17 which leads to an overexpression of the tetraspan protein PMP22. Transgenic “CMT rats” expressing additional copies of this gene share characteristic clinical features of the human disease, including muscle weakness, reduced nerve conduction velocities, and marked Schwann cell hypertrophy resulting in onion bulb formation. The CMT rat allows a better understanding of the cellular disease mechanism operating in human CMT1A, and is helpful in the analysis of modifier genes, epigenetic factors, and in the evaluation of experimental treatment strategies. In an attempt to translate findings from the animal model to humans we were able to identify biomarkers of disease severity in the skin of CMT1A patients, which could already be validated in patients from across Europe. Within CMT-NET, a national BMBF funded network on rare diseases coordinated by Prof. Sereda, we aim at transferring our results from skin to easily accessible blood samples from CMT patients, which would facilitate the performance of clinical trials in the near future. In the newly formed German-French consortium CMT-MODs , which is coordinated by Prof. Sereda and supported by the French AFM, we will extend the identification of disease and prognostic biomarkers to young CMT1A patients. These novel diagnostic measures are urgently needed and will make clinical trials in early disease stages (children) possible in order to effectively treat and prevent CMT1A disease. Without effective biomarkers, promising preclinical therapeutic strategies cannot be translated to patients.

Homepage Department/Research Group
https://www.mpinat.mpg.de/de/sereda

ORCID: 0000-0003-3837-6575