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Retinal Physiology and Gene Therapy - Dr. Lindner
Moritz Lindner
Orcid - Research Gate - GitHub - Twitter - Moritz @ NLO
Our research focuses on light dependent signalling processes in the retina and their role in disease. We are interested in understanding the heterogeneity of the signalling cascades initiated by melanopsin, the recently discovered photopigment of the inner retina. A clear knowledge on the different signalling pathways initiated by melanopsin is of particular relevance, not only to understand its role in image forming and non-image forming vision. Moreover, Melanopsin has also been suggested as an optogenetic tool to restore vision in patients affected by retinal blindness.
Another focus of our research is understanding how modulatory ion channel subunits regulate retinal signal processing and how dysfunction of such modulatory subunits leads to retinal disease. A Particularly exiting example is the silent voltage-gated potassium channel subunit Kcnv2, that is expressed in rod and cone photoreceptors. Mutations in the Kcnv2 gene cause an inherited form of blindness termed Cone Dystrophy with Supernormal Rod Responses (CDSRR). We are trying to understand how and with which other ion channel subunits Kcnv2 interacts and how this may contribute to the increased susceptibility of cones in CDSRR. We hope that this will help us to identify novel approaches to treat this inherited retinal disorder.
The basis of our research is a methodological spectrum spanning from in-silico approaches over immunohistochemistry to ex-vivo and in-vivo electrophysiology. But more importantly, we benefit from a number of inspiring collaborations inside Marburg and Oxford as well as with researchers from other universities.
We are always seeking for highly motivated individuals interested in joining us in our research!
Key publications
Lindner M*, Gilhooley MJ, Peirson SN, Hughes S & Hankins MW* (2020) The functional characteristics of optogenetic gene therapy for vision restoration. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. [ePub ahead of print]
Lindner M*, Gilhooley MJ, Palumaa T, Morton AJ, Hughes S & Hankins MW* (2020) Expression and Localization of Kcne2 in the Vertebrate Retina. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 61:33.
Lindner M, Pfau M, Czauderna J, Goerdt L, Schmitz-Valckenberg S, Holz FG & Fleckenstein M (2019) Determinants of Reading Performance in Eyes with Foveal-Sparing Geographic Atrophy. Ophthalmol. Retina 3:201-10.
Holz FG, Sadda SR, Staurenghi G, Lindner M, Bird AC, Blodi BA, Bottoni F, Chakravarthy U, Chew EY, Csaky K, Curcio CA, Danis R, Fleckenstein M, Freund KB, Grunwald J, Guymer R, Hoyng CB, Jaffe GJ, Liakopoulos S, Mones JM, Oishi A, Pauleikhoff D, Rosenfeld PJ, Sarraf D, Spaide RF, Tadayoni R, Tufail A, Wolf S, Schmitz-Valckenberg S & group CAM. (2017). Imaging Protocols in Clinical Studies in Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Recommendations from Classification of Atrophy Consensus Meetings. Ophthalmology 124, 464-478.
Lindner M, Fang PP, Steinberg JS, Domdei N, Pfau M, Krohne TU, Schmitz-Valckenberg S, Holz FG & Fleckenstein M (2016) OCT Angiography-Based Detection and Quantification of the Neovascular Network in Exudative AMD. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 57:6342-8.
Leitner MG, Michel N, Behrendt M, Dierich M, Dembla S, Wilke BU, Konrad M, Lindner M, Oberwinkler J & Oliver D (2016) Direct modulation of TRPM4 and TRPM3 channels by the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 173:2555-69.
Lindner M, Boker A, Mauschitz MM, Gobel AP, Fimmers R, Brinkmann CK, Schmitz-Valckenberg S, Schmid M, Holz FG & Fleckenstein M (2015) Directional Kinetics of Geographic Atrophy Progression in Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Foveal Sparing. Ophthalmology 122:1356-65.
Wilke BU, Lindner M, Greifenberg L, Albus A, Kronimus Y, Bunemann M, Leitner MG & Oliver D. (2014). Diacylglycerol mediates regulation of TASK potassium channels by Gq-coupled receptors. Nat. Commun. 5:5540.
Schiekel J, Lindner M, Hetzel A, Wemhoner K, Renigunta V, Schlichthorl G, Decher N, Oliver D & Daut J (2013) The inhibition of the potassium channel TASK-1 in rat cardiac muscle by endothelin-1 is mediated by phospholipase C. Cardiovasc. Res. 97:97-105.
Lindner M, Leitner MG, Halaszovich CR, Hammond GR & Oliver D (2011) Probing the regulation of TASK potassium channels by PI4,5P(2) with switchable phosphoinositide phosphatases. J. Physiol. 589:3149-62.