Josef Bischofberger is Professor of Physiology at the Department of Biomedicine of the University of Basel. As a neuroscientist his research is focussed on synaptic plasticity and adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, a brain region critically important for learning and memory. The hippocampus is one of the very few regions of the mammalian central nervous system, where new neurons are generated throughout life. Proliferation and differentiation of adult neural stem cells is tightly regulated in an activity dependent manner, indicating that the newly generated neurons play a special role in the formation of new memories. In support of this hypothesis, the group found that newly generated young neurons show enhanced excitability and synaptic plasticity as compared to the neighboring mature cells.
In collaboration with Ludwig Aigner (PMU Salzburg, Austria) the group established a transgenic mouse model, where newly generated young neurons are labeled with the red fluorescent protein DsRed2 expressed under the control of the DCX promoter. Using this model system, newly generated young neurons are directly targeted within the adult hippocampus for investigation of functional properties. These studies revealed that the young neurons express a unique set of signaling mechanisms that might be important for survival, differentiation and synaptic integration of the young cells into the adult neural network. Understanding underlying mechanisms of adult neurogenesis may help to finally develop future strategies for stem cell therapies after stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.
Further ongoing collaborations in the field of neuronal plasticity include Peter Jonas at the University of Freiburg, Gerd Kempermann at the Center for Regenerative Therapies (CRTD) in Dresden and Dieter Chichung Li at the GSF in Neuherberg. The group is also part of Collaborative Research Initiative SFB 780 “Synaptic Mechanisms of Neural Network Function” of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).