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We investigate the signaling and genetic regulation of self-renewal, commitment and differentiation of cardiac stem cells and try to identify feasible strategies for paracrine stimulation of endogenous cardiac stem cells in the diseased heart, in order to facilitate regenerative therapy and to improve the quality of life.
We investigate the interaction of SPARC and desmin and their influence on the transcription factor network regulating homeostasis in cardiac stem cells.
Georg Weitzer studied biochemistry and philosophy at the University of Vienna, and went to Houston, Texas for a two-year post-doctoral fellowship. Back in Vienna he established a research group at the University of Vienna and later at the Medical University of Vienna, where he studies some molecular aspects of cardiomyogenesis and teaches cell biology and development of stem cells.
Desmin promotes Nkx2.5 transcription and cardiomyogenesis in cardiac stem cells and embryonic stem cells of the mouse. Fuchs, C., Gawlas, G., Heher, P., Nikouli, S., Paar, H., Ivankovic, M., Schultheis, M., Klammer, J., Gottschamel, T., Capetanaki, Y., and Weitzer, G. Desmin enters the nucleus of cardiac stem cells and modulates Nkx2.5 expression by participating in transcription factor complexes that interact with the nkx2.5 gene. (2016) Biology Open, DOI: 10.1242/bio.014993
Identification of niche conditions allowing maintenance of adult cardiac stem cells ex vivo. Hoebaus, J., Heher, P., Gottschamel, T., Scheinast, M., Auner, H., Walder, D., Wiedner, M., Taubenschmid, J., Miksch, M., Sauer, T., Schultheis, M., Kuzmenkin, A., Seiser, C., Hescheler, J., Weitzer, G. Embryonic Stem Cells Facilitate the Isolation of Persistent Clonal Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell Lines and Leukemia Inhibitor Factor Maintains their Self-Renewal and Myocardial Differentiation Potential In vitro. (2013) Cells Tissues and Organs. 197, 249-68. DOI: 10.1159/000345804
Embryo-like morphogenesis and symmetry-breaking in embryoid bodies. Fuchs C., Scheinast M., Pasteiner W., Lagger S., Hofner M., Höllrigl A., Schultheis M., Weitzer G. Self-organisation phenomena in embryonic stem cell derived embryoid bodies: Axis formation and breaking of symmetry during cardiomyogenesis. (2012) Cells Tissues and Organs. 195,377-391. DOI: 10.1159/000328712
SPARC promotes Nkx2.5 transcription and cardiomyogenesis in embryonic stem cells and cardiac progenitor cells. Stary, M., Pasteiner, W., Summer, A., Hrdina, A., Eger, A., and Weitzer, G. (2005). Parietal endoderm secreted SPARC promotes early cardiomyogenesis in vitro. Experimental Cell Research, 310, 331-343. DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2005.07.013
Embryonic Stem Cells Facilitate the Isolation of Persistent Clonal Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell Lines and Leukemia Inhibitor Factor Maintains Their Self-Renewal and Myocardial Differentiation Potential in vitro.
Hoebaus, Julia; Heher, Philipp; Gottschamel, Teresa; Scheinast, Matthias; Auner, Harmen; Walder, Diana; Wiedner, Marc; Taubenschmid, Jasmin; Miksch, Maximilian; Sauer, Thomas; Schultheis, Martina; Kuzmenkin, Alexey; Seiser, Christian; Hescheler, Juergen; Weitzer, Georg
Self-Organization Phenomena in Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Embryoid Bodies: Axis Formation and Breaking of Symmetry during Cardiomyogenesis.
Fuchs, Christiane; Scheinast, Matthias; Pasteiner, Waltraud; Lagger, Sabine; Hofner, Manuela; Hoellrigl, Alexandra; Schultheis, Martina; Weitzer, Georg
Mechanisms of cardiogenesis in cardiovascular progenitor cells.
Taubenschmid, Jasmin; Weitzer, Georg
18th Microsymposium on RNA Biology
The „Microsymposium on RNA Biology“ is an international conference that brings together young scientists, junior and senior group leaders, and company representatives from all over the world to present and discuss their latest findings in the exciting field of small RNAs and beyond. The Microsymposium was founded in 2005 and has established itself as the major small RNA meeting in Europe. It is organized by the four research institutions IMBA, IMP, GMI and the Max Perutz Labs as well as by the RNA community of the Vienna BioCenter.
Nickel impact on human health, from bacterial infections to cancer
Multiscale plant bioimaging using advanced microscopy
Parthenogenesis, cryptobiosis, and the survival in extreme environmental conditions
Evading ageing: Mitochondrial and proteostatic adaptations in oocytes
Genomes in Rhodnius prolixus symbiotic system
Stem cells, immune evasion and metastasis in colorectal cancer
Ubiquitin & Friends Symposium 2024
The Ubiquitin & Friends Symposium is an annual international meeting taking place in the beautiful capital of Austria, aiming to bring together scholars from various fields studying ubiquitin/Ubl biology and protein degradation in a personal, family-like atmosphere, as suggested by the name.
The evolution and development of mollusc shells
Unraveling the Complexity of Crossover Regulation in C. elegans
Dynamics of 3D Genome Structure and Function
How superworms can help to solve our plastic waste crisis
Title to be announced
New players in an old pathway: biology of methanogens of the TACK superphylum
Shaping morphogen gradients: from molecules to tissues and back
Title to be announced
Studying stressed cells by in situ structural biology
Exploring Microbial Resilience: Unravelling Escherichia coliand#x27;s Stress Response at the Level of Protein Synthesis
Arbuscular mycorrhiza development and function
Deep homology and deep diversity: Evolving genetic toolkits for making and sensing light
The evolution of cell type identity and tissue microecology at the fetal-maternal interface
The unanticipated roles of PICIs and phages in bacterial evolution
Chemical targeting of subcellular protein localization
Origin and diversification of gut-derived organs in chordates
Job's Dilemma for the Genome: Why Bad Things Happen to Good Chromosomes
Connections between carbon and nitrogen cycling in the ocean
Understanding how the DNA-loop-extruding protein complex Condensin folds a chromatinized genome into mitotic chromosomes
From Roads to Rivers? Occurrence and environmental fate of tire and road wear particles and of tire-related chemicals
FENS 2024 Satellite event: Home cage behavior monitoring at the interface of animal welfare and neuroscience
Striking physiology and cell biology of (marine) environmental microorganisms
Mechanisms controlling maintenance of cohesin dependent loops
Title to be announced