ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Medicine, Liver Diseases

My research explores the biology of chronic liver diseases and liver regeneration, which I have been focused on since my PhD training in the laboratory of Prof. Dietrich Keppler at the German Cancer Research Center. I characterized a polymorphism in the ABCC3 transporter and uncovered novel substrates implying ABCC3 in the hepatic clearance of glucuronidated bilirubin. During this time I acquired skills in molecular biology (PCR, cloning, sequencing etc), protein biochemistry (transport assays, immunoblotting, enzyme kinetic determination) as well as immunohistochemistry. After my clinical education in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Medical University Hospital Heidelberg, I joined the laboratory of Prof. Scott Friedman in October 2009 to study liver fibrosis and regeneration and became a faculty member of the Division of Liver Disease in April 2014. During my postdoctoral fellowship, I have vastly extended my knowledge and technical skills including but not limited to murine models of conditional knockout of targeted genes or cells (e.g. stellate cells), biochemical and histological fibrosis assessment, histological staining techniques and assessment with particular focus on liver progenitor cells, stellate cells and myofibroblasts and have published and coauthored several publications as well as reviews on the field of liver fibrosis thus confirming my skills and contribution to the submitted grant.