PortfolioAlfred Nordheim

Person data

Academic title:

Prof. Dr.

Name:

Alfred Nordheim

Organizational units:

Faculty of Science

University of Tübingen

Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology (IFIZ)

Interfaculty Institutes

Cluster of Excellence: Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies (iFIT)

Centers or interfaculty scientific institutions

URL:

webpage Nordheim

Contact data

Curriculum vitae

Academic Education and scientific Degrees

1979	Dr. rer. nat. (Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany)
1976	Diplom, Biology (Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany)

Professional Career

1989	Prof. of Molecular Biology
1985	Habilitation (Molecular Biology, Heidelberg University, Prof. H. Betz)
1984 - 1989	Group Leader (C3 equivalent) at the ZMBH, Heidelberg University
1980 - 1983	Postdoctoral research fellow with Prof. Alexander Rich, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA
1976 - 1979	PhD project (MPI Berlin-Dahlem, PhD advisor: Prof. Kenneth Timmis)
1972 - 1976	Curriculum in Biology (Diplom), Free University Berlin and University College of North Wales (Bangor, UK). Thesis advisor: Prof. Peter A. Williams

Awards and Appointments

2010 -	Academic Editor, PLOS ONE
1998 -	Acting Director, Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Tübingen University (rotating directorship)
1996 -	Chair “Molecular Biology” (Full Professor, C4) Interfaculty Institute of Cell Biology, Tübingen University
2008 - 2013	President of the International Genetics Federation (IGF), Melbourne, Australia
2003 - 2009	Founding Director, Proteome Center Tübingen (PCT), Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Tübingen University
2005 - 2009	President, German Genetics Society (GfG)
2002 - 2012	Member, Advisory Board of the German Cancer Aid (DKH)
2008	Secretary General, XX. International Congress of Genetics (ICG), Berlin
01/2007 - 04/2007	Visiting Professor, ETH Zürich, Switzerland. Host: Prof. S. Werner
03/2000 - 09/2000	Visiting Professor, Whitehead Institute. Host: Prof. R. A. Weinberg. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA. Fellowship by Volkswagen Foundation, Hannover.
1989 - 1996	Founding Director, Institute for Molecular Biology (Full Professor, C4), Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
1992	Max-Planck-Research Prize of the Max-Planck-Society and the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Foundation (jointly with Prof. Dr. R. A. Weinberg, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA)
1991	Elected member of the "European Molecular Biology Organization" (EMBO)

Research focus

Our main research interest is directed toward understanding molecular mechanisms by which intracellular signalling elicits differential genomic responses at the level of transcription. Primarily, we are interested in gene expression under the control of the transcription factor SRF (Serum Response Factor). This transcription factor controls target gene expression by recruiting to its DNA binding sites (CArG boxes) different SRF co-factors which by themselves are subject to regulation by intracellular signalling cascades.The most important families of SRF co-factors are the TCFs (ternary complex factors) and the Myocardin/MRTF proteins. Whereas the former are under control of mitogenic MAPK signalling, the latter respond to dynamical changes in the actin cytoskeleton.