Professor Edgar Kramer
Profiles

Professor Edgar Kramer

Professor of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health)

Professor Edgar Kramer can be contacted through arrangement with our Press Office, to speak to the media on these areas of expertise.
  • Neurology
  • Neuroscience
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Dementia
  • Clinical neuroscience
  • Nervous system damage
  • Signal transduction
Biography

Biography

• Professor of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Biomedical Research Peninsula School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, UK

Qualifications

  • 2017-2018 Senior Investigator Scientist, Mouse Models of Neurodegeneration Group, Mammalian Genetics Unit MRC Harwell, UK  
  • 2016 Research Group Leader, Clinic for Neurology and Institute for Applied Physiology, Medical Faculty, Ulm University, Germany
  • 2008-2016 Research Group Leader, Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), University of Hamburg, Germany
  • 2009 Habilitation in Zoology at the Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany
  • 2008 Habilitation in Neurobiology at the Department of Biology II LMU in Munich, Germany
  • 2001-2008 Postdoc in Neuroscience at the EMBL in Heidelberg and at the Max-Planck Institute of Neurobiology in Martinsried, Germany
  • 1996-2000 PhD in Biochemistry at the IMP, Vienna Biocenter, University of Vienna, Austria
  • 1991-1996 Studies of Biology (Diploma), University of Konstanz, Germany, and State University of New York at Stony Brook, New York, USA

Roles on external bodies

• Editorial board of the journals: Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience; Neural Regeneration Research (NRR); Mental Health and Addiction Research (MHAR); ScienceMatters
• Reviewer board of the journal: Open Journal of Parkinson’s Disease and Treatment

Key publications

Conway JA, Ince S, Black S & Kramer ER (2020) 'GDNF/RET signaling in dopamine neurons in vivo' Cell and Tissue Research , DOI Open access
Conway JA, Kinsman G & Kramer ER (2022) 'The Role of NEDD4 E3 Ubiquitin–Protein Ligases in Parkinson’s Disease' Genes 13, (3) , DOI Open access
Cohan M, Kopelman J, Yueh H, Yueh Z, Greene N, Harris A, Balsam P, Leonardo D, Kramer E & Veenstra-VanderWeele J (2022) 'Developmental impact of glutamate transporter overexpression on dopaminergic neuron activity and stereotypic behavior' Molecular Psychiatry , DOI Open access
Conway JA & Kramer E (2021) 'Is activation of GDNF/RET signaling the answer for successful treatment of Parkinson’s disease? A discussion of data from the culture dish to the clinic' Neural Regeneration Research 17, (7) 1462-1467 , DOI Open access
Drinkut A, Tillack K, Meka DP, Schulz JB, Kügler S & Kramer ER (2016) 'Ret is essential to mediate GDNF’s neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effect in a Parkinson disease mouse model' Cell Death and Disease 7, (9) e2359-e2359 , DOI Open access
Tillack K, Aboutalebi H & Kramer ER (2015) 'An Efficient and Versatile System for Visualization and Genetic Modification of Dopaminergic Neurons in Transgenic Mice' PLOS ONE 10, (8) e0136203-e0136203 , DOI Open access
View all publications
Teaching

Teaching

Teaching interests

Areas of teaching interest relate to molecular neuroscience in particular neurodegenerative diseases like Morbus Parkinson's disease.


NEW 2021 pathway/module lead MSc Biomedical Sciences Clinical Neuroscience (IBMS approved 2022)
  • BHCS5011 Basic and Clinical Neuroscience
  • BHCS5012 Contemporary Applications in Neurobiology
  • BIOM5006 Project module
Undergraduate courses: 
  • BHSC2001 Biology of Disease (18/AU/SB/M)
  • BHSC2018 Systems Physiological Function and Dysfunction
  • BHSC3007 Current Issues in Neurobiology
  • BHSC3001 Personal Research Projects


Staff serving as external examiners

  • University of Helsinki, Finland
  • University College London, UK

Research

Research

Research interests

• Cell surface proteins of neurons have a multitude of functions during development and maintenance of the nervous system. During development cell surface proteins allow to communicate with the surrounding cells and the extracellular matrix for proper proliferation, migration, differentiation and contact formation in the complex network. But also in the mature and aging nervous system they are needed for electrical activity, neuronal communication, survival and even regeneration. Alterations in cell surface protein signalling have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as motoneuron diseases, Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) but also in diseases such depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia. There are many cross-talks of different cell surface proteins on neuronal membranes which even can be different concerning their localization in axons, dendrites, synapses and other specialized membrane structures. In addition they are connected with the intraneuronal processes by a large amount of signalling and regulatory pathways. So far our knowledge about neuronal cell surface protein interaction, signalling and their physiological function is still limited.

• My research group focuses on investigating the cross-talk and function of the glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) receptors, such as the receptor tyrosine kinase Ret, the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), integrins, N-cadherins, and syndecan 3 in the midbrain dopaminergic system altered in PD patients and drug addicts and in motoneurons innervating the skeletal muscles. In addition, we analyse the function of different intracellular proteins encoded by genes mutated or linked to PD. We study their signalling mechanisms on a molecular and cellular level as well as in intact animals. Therefore, we use diverse experimental approaches such as molecular biological techniques, cell culture, mouse genetics, histology, as well as behavioural and physiological experiments.

• To enhance the analysis of the midbrain dopaminergic and the peripheral nervous system we also developed unique tools for genetic manipulation and in vivo and in vitro imaging and quantification.

Other research

Besides our interest to understand the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases and to develop corresponding treatments, we are also interested in other disease such as drug addiction and cancer as well as neurodevelopmental alterations.

Publications

Publications

Key publications

Conway JA, Ince S, Black S & Kramer ER (2020) 'GDNF/RET signaling in dopamine neurons in vivo' Cell and Tissue Research , DOI Open access
Conway JA, Kinsman G & Kramer ER (2022) 'The Role of NEDD4 E3 Ubiquitin–Protein Ligases in Parkinson’s Disease' Genes 13, (3) , DOI Open access
Cohan M, Kopelman J, Yueh H, Yueh Z, Greene N, Harris A, Balsam P, Leonardo D, Kramer E & Veenstra-VanderWeele J (2022) 'Developmental impact of glutamate transporter overexpression on dopaminergic neuron activity and stereotypic behavior' Molecular Psychiatry , DOI Open access
Conway JA & Kramer E (2021) 'Is activation of GDNF/RET signaling the answer for successful treatment of Parkinson’s disease? A discussion of data from the culture dish to the clinic' Neural Regeneration Research 17, (7) 1462-1467 , DOI Open access
Drinkut A, Tillack K, Meka DP, Schulz JB, Kügler S & Kramer ER (2016) 'Ret is essential to mediate GDNF’s neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effect in a Parkinson disease mouse model' Cell Death and Disease 7, (9) e2359-e2359 , DOI Open access
Tillack K, Aboutalebi H & Kramer ER (2015) 'An Efficient and Versatile System for Visualization and Genetic Modification of Dopaminergic Neurons in Transgenic Mice' PLOS ONE 10, (8) e0136203-e0136203 , DOI Open access

Key publications are highlighted

Journals
Articles
Conway JA, Kinsman G & Kramer ER (2022) 'The Role of NEDD4 E3 Ubiquitin–Protein Ligases in Parkinson’s Disease' Genes 13, (3) , DOI Open access
Cohan M, Kopelman J, Yueh H, Yueh Z, Greene N, Harris A, Balsam P, Leonardo D, Kramer E & Veenstra-VanderWeele J (2022) 'Developmental impact of glutamate transporter overexpression on dopaminergic neuron activity and stereotypic behavior' Molecular Psychiatry , DOI Open access
Conway JA & Kramer E (2021) 'Is activation of GDNF/RET signaling the answer for successful treatment of Parkinson’s disease? A discussion of data from the culture dish to the clinic' Neural Regeneration Research 17, (7) 1462-1467 , DOI Open access
Conway JA, Ince S, Black S & Kramer ER (2020) 'GDNF/RET signaling in dopamine neurons in vivo' Cell and Tissue Research , DOI Open access
Baaske MK, Kramer ER, Meka DP, Engler G, Engel AK & Moll CKE (2020) 'Parkin deficiency perturbs striatal circuit dynamics' Neurobiology of Disease 104737-104737 , DOI Open access
Drinkut A, Tillack K, Meka DP, Schulz JB, Kügler S & Kramer ER (2018) 'Correction to: Ret is essential to mediate GDNF’s neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effect in a Parkinson disease mouse model' Cell Death and Disease 9, (6) , DOI Open access
Drinkut A, Tillack K, Meka DP, Schulz JB, Kügler S & Kramer ER (2016) 'Ret is essential to mediate GDNF’s neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effect in a Parkinson disease mouse model' Cell Death and Disease 7, (9) e2359-e2359 , DOI Open access
Baaske MK, Kramer ER, Meka DP, Engler G, Engel AK & Moll CK (2016) 'FV 6. Striatal Microcircuit alterations in a mouse model of preclinical parkinsonism' Clinical Neurophysiology 127, (9) e213-e213 , DOI
Friedemann T, Ying Y, Wang W, Kramer ER, Schumacher U, Fei J & Schröder S (2016) 'Neuroprotective Effect of<i>Coptis chinensis</i>in MPP+ and MPTP-Induced Parkinson’s Disease Models' The American Journal of Chinese Medicine 44, (05) 907-925 , DOI
Kramer ER & Liss B (2015) 'GDNF-Ret signaling in midbrain dopaminergic neurons and its implication for Parkinson disease' FEBS Letters 589, (24PartA) 3760-3772 , DOI
Tillack K, Aboutalebi H & Kramer ER (2015) 'An Efficient and Versatile System for Visualization and Genetic Modification of Dopaminergic Neurons in Transgenic Mice' PLOS ONE 10, (8) e0136203-e0136203 , DOI Open access
Kramer ER (2015) 'Crosstalk of parkin and Ret in dopaminergic neurons' Oncotarget 6, (18) 15704-15705 , DOI
Meka DP, Müller-Rischart AK, Nidadavolu P, Mohammadi B, Motori E, Ponna SK, Aboutalebi H, Bassal M, Annamneedi A & Finckh B (2015) 'Parkin cooperates with GDNF/RET signaling to prevent dopaminergic neuron degeneration' Journal of Clinical Investigation 125, (5) 1873-1885 , DOI
Kramer E (2015) 'The neuroprotective and regenerative potential of parkin and GDNF/Ret signaling in the midbrain dopaminergic system' Neural Regeneration Research 10, (11) 1752-1752 , DOI
Ertürk A, Mauch CP, Hellal F, Förstner F, Keck T, Becker K, Jährling N, Steffens H, Richter M & Hübener M (2013) 'Three-dimensional imaging of the unsectioned adult spinal cord to assess axon regeneration and glial responses after injury' Nature 503, (7475 SUPPL)
Gonzalez-Reyes LE, Verbitsky M, Blesa J, Jackson-Lewis V, Paredes D, Tillack K, Phani S, Kramer ER, Przedborski S & Kottmann AH (2012) 'Sonic Hedgehog Maintains Cellular and Neurochemical Homeostasis in the Adult Nigrostriatal Circuit' Neuron 75, (2) 306-319 , DOI
Ertürk A, Mauch CP, Hellal F, Förstner F, Keck T, Becker K, Jährling N, Steffens H, Richter M & Hübener M (2011) 'Three-dimensional imaging of the unsectioned adult spinal cord to assess axon regeneration and glial responses after injury' Nature Medicine 18, (1) 166-171 , DOI
Saghafi S, Becker K, Jährling N, Richter M, Kramer ER & Dodt H-U (2010) 'Image enhancement in ultramicroscopy by improved laser light sheets' Journal of Biophotonics 3, (10-11) 686-695 , DOI
Aron L, Klein P, Pham T-T, Kramer ER, Wurst W & Klein R (2010) 'Pro-Survival Role for Parkinson's Associated Gene DJ-1 Revealed in Trophically Impaired Dopaminergic Neurons' PLoS Biology 8, (4) e1000349-e1000349 , DOI
Lücking CB, Lichtner P, Kramer ER, Gieger C, Illig T, Dichgans M, Berg D & Gasser T (2010) 'Polymorphisms in the receptor for GDNF (RET) are not associated with Parkinson's disease in Southern Germany' Neurobiology of Aging 31, (1) 167-168 , DOI
Jährling N, Becker K, Kramer ER & Dodt H-U (2008) '3D-Visualization of nerve fiber bundles by ultramicroscopy' Medical Laser Application 23, (4) 209-215 , DOI
Deininger K, Eder M, Kramer ER, Zieglgänsberger W, Dodt H-U, Dornmair K, Colicelli J & Klein R (2008) 'The Rab5 guanylate exchange factor Rin1 regulates endocytosis of the EphA4 receptor in mature excitatory neurons' Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105, (34) 12539-12544 , DOI
Mishra A, Knerr B, Paixão S, Kramer ER & Klein R (2008) 'The Protein Dendrite Arborization and Synapse Maturation 1 (Dasm-1) Is Dispensable for Dendrite Arborization' Molecular and Cellular Biology 28, (8) 2782-2791 , DOI
Becker K, Jährling N, Kramer ER, Schnorrer F & Dodt H-U (2008) 'Ultramicroscopy: 3D reconstruction of large microscopical specimens' Journal of Biophotonics 1, (1) 36-42 , DOI
Kowsky S, Pöppelmeyer C, Kramer ER, Falkenburger BH, Kruse A, Klein R & Schulz JB (2007) 'RET signaling does not modulate MPTP toxicity but is required for regeneration of dopaminergic axon terminals' Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104, (50) 20049-20054 , DOI
Kramer ER, Aron L, Ramakers GMJ, Seitz S, Zhuang X, Beyer K, Smidt MP & Klein R (2007) 'Absence of Ret Signaling in Mice Causes Progressive and Late Degeneration of the Nigrostriatal System' PLoS Biology 5, (3) e39-e39 , DOI
Kramer ER, Knott L, Su F, Dessaud E, Krull CE, Helmbacher F & Klein R (2006) 'Cooperation between GDNF/Ret and ephrinA/EphA4 Signals for Motor-Axon Pathway Selection in the Limb' Neuron 50, (1) 35-47 , DOI
Sørensen CS, Lukas C, Kramer ER, Peters J-M, Bartek J & Lukas J (2001) 'A Conserved Cyclin-Binding Domain Determines Functional Interplay between Anaphase-Promoting Complex–Cdh1 and Cyclin A-Cdk2 during Cell Cycle Progression' Molecular and Cellular Biology 21, (11) 3692-3703 , DOI
Reimann JDR, Freed E, Hsu JY, Kramer ER, Peters J-M & Jackson PK (2001) 'Emi1 Is a Mitotic Regulator that Interacts with Cdc20 and Inhibits the Anaphase Promoting Complex' Cell 105, (5) 645-655 , DOI
Geley S, Kramer E, Gieffers C, Gannon J, Peters J-M & Hunt T (2001) 'Anaphase-Promoting Complex/Cyclosome–Dependent Proteolysis of Human Cyclin a Starts at the Beginning of Mitosis and Is Not Subject to the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint' Journal of Cell Biology 153, (1) 137-148 , DOI
Sørensen CS, Lukas C, Kramer ER, Peters J-M, Bartek J & Lukas J (2000) 'Nonperiodic Activity of the Human Anaphase-Promoting Complex–Cdh1 Ubiquitin Ligase Results in Continuous DNA Synthesis Uncoupled from Mitosis' Molecular and Cellular Biology 20, (20) 7613-7623 , DOI
Petersen BO, Wagener C, Marinoni F, Kramer ER, Melixetian M, Denchi EL, Gieffers C, Matteucci C, Peters J-M & Helin K (2000) 'Cell cycle– and cell growth–regulated proteolysis of mammalian CDC6 is dependent on APC–CDH1' Genes &amp; Development 14, (18) 2330-2343 , DOI
Kramer ER, Scheuringer N, Podtelejnikov AV, Mann M & Peters J-M (2000) 'Mitotic Regulation of the APC Activator Proteins CDC20 and CDH1' Molecular Biology of the Cell 11, (5) 1555-1569 , DOI
Lukas C, Sørensen CS, Kramer E, Santoni-Rugiu E, Lindeneg C, Peters J-M, Bartek J & Lukas J (1999) 'Accumulation of cyclin B1 requires E2F and cyclin-A-dependent rearrangement of the anaphase-promoting complex' Nature 401, (6755) 815-818 , DOI
Gieffers C, Peters BH, Kramer ER, Dotti CG & Peters J-M (1999) 'Expression of the CDH1-associated form of the anaphase-promoting complex in postmitotic neurons' Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 96, (20) 11317-11322 , DOI
Kramer ER, Gieffers C, Hölzl G, Hengstschläger M & Peters J-M (1998) 'Activation of the human anaphase-promoting complex by proteins of the CDC20/Fizzy family' Current Biology 8, (22) 1207-S4 , DOI
Conference Papers
Kramer E (2018) 'Humanized mice to investigate neurodegenerative diseases' Experimental models in physiology University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom 6-/-0/20186-/-0/2018Open access
Kramer E (2018) 'Etiology and treatment of Parkinson Disease' Derriford Research Facility Opening Symposium John Bull Building, University of Plymouth, UK 5-/-0/20185-/-0/2018Open access
Kramer E (2018) 'Etiology and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases' Big Questions in Biomedical Sciences Ringberg Castle, Rottach-Egern, Germany 4-/-0/20184-/-0/2018Open access
Meka DP, Mueller-Rischart AK, Finckh B, Miesbauer M, Tatzelt J, Winklhofer KF & Kramer ER (2015) 'Genetic and physiological cross-talk of parkin with the neurotrophic GDNF receptor Ret in dopaminergic neurons' 25-25
Drinkut A, Kramer ER, Schulz JB & Kuegler S (2009) 'ROLE OF THE RET/GDNF SIGNALING PATHWAY IN PROTECTION OF THE NIGRO-STRIATAL SYSTEM IN A MPTP MOUSE MODEL FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE' 256-256
Drinkut A, Nagel F, Kramer ER, Kuegler S & Schulz JB (2009) 'Role of the RET/GDNF signaling pathway in protection of the nigro-striatal system in a MPTP mouse model for Parkinson's disease' 49-50
Linn SA, Su F, Knott L, Kramer E, Klein R & Krull CE (2006) 'Ret and EphA4 signaling in motor axon pathfinding' Elsevier BV 364-365 , DOI
Reimann JDR, Freed E, Kramer ER, Hsu JY, Peters JM & Jackson PK (2000) 'Emi1, a novel F-box, zinc finger protein, regulates mitosis by inhibiting the APC regulator Cdc20' 7A-7A
Presentations and posters
Chohan M, Kopelman J, Yueh H, Fazlali Z, Greene N, Harris A, Balsam P, Leonardo ED, Kramer E & Veenstra-Vanderweele J Chohan M, Kopelman J, Yueh H, Fazlali Z, Greene N, Harris A, Balsam P, Leonardo ED, Kramer E & Veenstra-Vanderweele J 'Developmental Impact of Glutamate Transporter Overexpression on Dopaminergic Neuron Activity and Stereotypic Behavior' Author Site Open access
Chohan M, Kopelman J, Kramer E, Balsam P, Ahmari S & Veenstra-Vanderweele J Chohan M, Kopelman J, Kramer E, Balsam P, Ahmari S & Veenstra-Vanderweele J 'OCD Candidate Gene SLC1A1/EAAT3 Impacts Dopamine Neuron Firing and Behavioral Flexibility' Author Site Open access
Jährling N, Couillard-Deprés S, Becker K, Saghafi S, Wegenast-Braun B, Kramer ER, Weiler R & Dodt HU Jährling N, Couillard-Deprés S, Becker K, Saghafi S, Wegenast-Braun B, Kramer ER, Weiler R & Dodt HU 'P36 Lightsheet microscopy: Ultramicroscopy in fundamental neuroscience research' , DOI
Kramer E Kramer E 'Ret protects the midbrain dopaminergic system against α- synuclein toxicity' Open access
Kramer E Kramer E 'Ultramicroscopy/lightsheet-microscopy in dementia' Open access
Greene N, Chohan M, Kopelman J, Kramer E, Ahmari S & Veenstra-VanderWeele J Greene N, Chohan M, Kopelman J, Kramer E, Ahmari S & Veenstra-VanderWeele J 'Selective Overexpression of EAAT3 in Midbrain Dopamine Neurons Leads to Increased OCD-like Behaviors' , DOI Open access
Personal

Personal

Other academic activities

Colleagues:

  • James Conway
  • Grant Kinsman
  • Annabel Witted

Links

<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Edgar_Kramer">Edgar Kramer on ResearchGate</a>