Uni.-Prof. Hans-Arno Müller - Forschungsinformationssystem | Universität Kassel

Prof. Dr. Hans-Arno Müller

Research Interest

Signaling networks controlling morphogenetic systems
The aim of the research projects in the Müller group are to determine the molecular basis of cell differentiation during morphogenesis. We are using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as an experimental model system and apply genetics, high spatio-temporal resolution microscopy, biochemical and biophysical methods towards this problem. Our attention is focussed on evolutionarily conserved cell signaling networks that control the concerted behaviour and differentiation of cells during development. In particular, we investigate the mechanisms of how Fibroblast-growth factor (FGF) signaling orchestrates the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and directional migration of mesoderm cells. A second focus of the lab is to determine the molecular pathways that control the communication between distinct cellular compartments during the generation of cell polarity.

Communication of subcellular compartments in the control of cell polarity
Epithelia cells are the building blocks of a large number of organs in multicellular animals. Many regulators of epithelial polarity have been identified and led to the conclusion that the interaction of different subcellular compartments are essential in the establishment and maintenance of polarity. How the communication between distinct compartments is controlled and interacts with the for example the cytoskeleton is not well understood. We are using the cellularisation process of the Drosophila early embryo to study the function of signaling proteins in the control of the cytoskeleton and the endomembrane system. Our particular interest currently is in the identification of novel regulators and post translational modifications.

Intercellular communication during morphogenesis
FGFs are important secreted cell signaling molecules which are essential for communication and integration of a large variety of cell types. FGFs control tissue and organ homeostasis by regulating the proliferation, migrations, and survival of cells. Abnormal FGF signaling results in severe diseases such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, dysplasia a.m.o.). The complexity of FGF molecules and their receptors in vertebrates hamper its functional analysis in higher organisms. Our work has discovered a novel FGF signaling system in Drosophila and it’s role controlling cell behaviours including EMT and cell migration during the development of the mesoderm in gastrulation.

Work Experience

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2015	Professor (W3) of Developmental Genetics, Universität Kassel
2013 - 2015	Associate Dean of Research, College of Life Sciences, Dundee, GB
2010 - 2015	Deputy Head Division of Cell and Developmental Biology Dundee GB
2006 - 2016	Principal Investigator, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, GB
2001 - 2006	Group leader (C2 level), Institut für Genetik, Heinrich-Heine Universität, Düsseldorf
2001	Habilitation (Venia legendi: Genetik), Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf
1997 - 2001	Group leader (C1 level) Institut für Genetik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf
1994 - 1997	Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, USA
1992 - 1994	Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology, Dept. Cell Biology, Tübingen
1992	PhD from the Eberhard-Karls-University, Tübingen

Offers for professorships

26.02.2015	Entwicklungsgenetik Universität Kassel
20.09.2005	Allgemeine Genetik und Zytologie Universität Ulm

Awards

2013	Ernennung zum ‘Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology’
2006	Senior Non-Clinical Research Fellowship, Medical Research Council
2000	HFSP Short-Term Fellowship. California Institute of Technology, USA
1994	Postdoctoral Fellowship, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Memberships and non-academic activities

10/2013 - 2023	Genetics Society Mitglied
04/2013 - 06/2018	BBSRC UK Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council UK Research and Innovation Core Panel Member of Committee C and Committee D
07/2008 - 2023	British Society for Developmental Biology Mitglied
10/1997 - 2023	Gesellschaft für Entwicklungsbiologie

Projects as Principal Investigator

04/2022 - 09/2026	GRK 2749/1_Multiscale Clocks_TP 8
01/2019 - 12/2023	PRONET ll - P 30

Projects as Co-Investigator

09/2017 - 03/2021	Wie zelluläre Uhren biologische Funktionen steuern
2017 - 2021	PhosMOrg - Phosphoregulation of Biomolecules: from Mechanisms to Organisms

Publications

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2006	Meyer, W.J., Schreiber, S., Guo, Y., Volkmann, T., Welte, M.A., Müller, H.-A., 2006. Overlapping functions of argonaute proteins in patterning and morphogenesis of Drosophila embryos. PLoS Genetics 2, e1341224–1239. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.0020134
2005	Grosshans, J., Wenzl, C., Herz, H., Bartoszewski, S., Schnorrer, F., Schwarz, H., Müller, H.-A., 2005. RhoGEF2 and the formin dia control the formation of the furrow canal by directed actin assembly during Drosphila cellularisation. Development 132, 1009–1020. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.01669
2004	Gryzik, T., Müller, H.-A., 2004. FGF8-like1 and FGF8-like2 Encode Putative Ligands of the FGF Receptor Htl and Are Required for Mesoderm Migration in the Drosophila Gastrula. Current Biology 14, 659–667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2004.03.058
2004	Müller, H.-A., Yoshida, S., Wodarz, A., Ephrussi, A., 2004. PKA-R1 spatially restricts Oskar expression for Drosophila embryonic patterning. Development 131, 1401–1410. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.01034
2004	Schuhmacher, S., Gryzik, T., Tannebaum, S., Müller, H.-A., 2004. The RhoGEF Pebble is required for cell shape changes during cell migration triggered by the Drosophila FGF receptor Heartless. Development 131, 2631–2640. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.01149
2003	Grosshans, J., Müller, H.-A., Wieschaus, E., 2003. Control of cleavage cycles in Drosophila embryos by fruhstart. Developmental Cell 5, 285–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1534-5807(03)00208-9
2003	Müller, H.-A., 2003. Epithelial polarity in flies: More than just crumbs. Developmental Cell 4, 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1534-5807(02)00408-2
2003	Müller, H.-A., Bossinger, O., 2003. Molecular networks controlling epithelial cell polarity in development. Mechanisms of Development 120, 1231–1256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mod.2003.06.001
2002	Yoo, S., Huh, J., Muro, I., Yu, H., Wang, L., Wang, S., Feldman, R., Clem, R., Müller, H.-A., Hay, B., 2002. Apoptosis inducers Hid, Rpr and Grim negatively regulate levels of the caspase inhibitor DIAP1 by distinct mechanisms. Nature Cell Biology 4, 416–424. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb793
2002	Müller, H.-A., 2002. Germ cell migration: As slow as molasses. Current Biology 12, R612–R614. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-9822(02)01131-4

Other Research Activities

2023	Femtosecond laser cell poration on fixed Drosophila embryos Poster presentation
2022	Femtosecond laser cell surgery and wound healing on Drosophila embryos Poster presentation
2017	Investigation of the phosphorylation of the Dynein light intermediate chain (Dlic) by MAST kinase (Dop) during the cellularization of Drosophila melanogaster Advising activity
2016	The generation of transgene Compound chromosome fly lines Advising activity
2016	Untersuchungen zum Einfluss von Elp3 auf die Phosphorylierung von Akt und S6K, zwei Komponenten des Insulin Rezeptor-TOR-Signalwegs, und die larvale Entwicklung von Drosophila melanogaster Advising activity
2016	Investigations to the identification of new zygotic developing genes on the left arm of the 2. chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster Advising activity
2016	Investigation of the Regulation of MAST-Kinase Drop out in a haploid Drosophila Mutant Advising activity