Dr. Beatrice Richter

For my Ph.D. thesis, I joined the laboratory of Dr. Dieter Haffner in the Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases at the Hannover Medical School. During this time, I improved my working experience with animals, PCR analysis methods and histology. Additionally, I had my first expierences in mentoring students (MD, Bachelor, Master).

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of integrin αE(CD103)β7 during the inflammatory reactions in allergic contact dermatitis. Mice deficient for integrin αE(CD103) were sensitized and challenged with oxazolone to induce experimental contact hypersensitivity. During this time, I learned to handle mice, to harvest organs, performing flow cytometry analyses and preparing tissue for immunohistochemistry stainings.

The aim of my project was to study the topology of the human choline transporter-like protein CTL2. In immunocytochemistry stainings, I found that the transporter was located in the cytoplasm and in cytoplasmic clusters, but not as expected at the cell membrane. To do so, I employed methods for molecular biology, cell culturing and immunocytochemistry.

The goal of the practical part of my Bachelor thesis was the identification of protein kinases that are activated by the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β and interfere with the insulin-mediated Akt signaling pathway. After implementation and optimization of the siRNA transfection, I could show that IL-1β-induced Akt signaling is not only mediated by PI3K, but also by the kinases JNK, mTOR, p38MAPK and IKK-α.

The aim of this project was the identification of novel interaction partners for the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1, which mediates its own expression and subcellular localization. To do so, I used the yeast-two hybrid system and related microbiological methods. I was able to identify several proteins as potential new interaction partners for Kir4.1, including one that was already described by others.