Department of Physiology

Research groups at the Department of Physiology

Information for students:

Link to: website directs you to the teaching schedule and courses for medical and dental students. The Department of Physiology trains students from Human Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy and Biology.

Information for graduate students

Pictures above are originally from Leonardo da Vinci: the Vetruvian man, the brain chamber and the flying machine.

Latest news:

Congratulations to Dr. Kohei Koike for his outstanding doctoral thesis and receiving the Dr.-Eduard-Martin Preis !

News Saarland University Award

Congratulations to Dr. Brett Boonen for best short oral presentation at Behring-Röntgen and Leopoldina Tuft Cell Symposium in Gießen !

Optical activation of photoswitchable TRPC ligands in the mammalian olfactory system using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Ojha NK, Zufall F, Leinders-Zufall T (2023) In: Goldstein, B.J., Matsunami, H. (eds) The Olfactory System. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2710. Humana, New York, NY.

A succinate/SUCNR1-brush cell defense program in the tracheal epithelium. Perniss A, Boonen B, Tonach S, Thiel M, Poharkar K, Anouri WM, Keshavarz M, Papadakis T, Wiegand S, Pfeil U, Richter K, Althaus M, Obewinkler J, Schütz B, Boehm U, Offermans S, Leinders-Zufall T, Zufall F, Kummer W (2023) Science Advances.

Sensing and avoiding sick conspecifics requires Gai2+ vomeronasal neurons. Weiss J, Vacher H, Trouillet A, Leinders-Zufall T, Zufall F, Chamero P (2023) BMC Biol

Sensory detection of female olfactory cyes as a central regulator of energy metabolism and body weight in male mice. Garratt M, Neyt C, Ladyman SR, Pyrski M, Zufall F, Leinders-Zufall T (2023) iScience.

Lifespan extension in female mice by early, transient exposure to adult female olfactory cues. Garratt M, Erturk I, Alonso R, Zufall F, Leinders-Zufall T, Pletcher SD, Miller RA (2022) eLife.

BTDAzo – A photoswitchable TRPC5 channel activator. Müller M, Niemeyer K, Urban N, Ojha NK, Zufall F, Leinders-Zufall T, Schaefer M, Thorn-Seshold O (2022) Angew Chem Int Ed, ahead of print

Danger perception and stress response through an olfactory sensor for the bacterial metabolite hydrogen sulfide. Koike K, Yoo SJ, Bleymehl K, Omura M, Zapiec B, Pyrski M, Blum T, Khan m, Bai Z, Leinders-Zufall T, Mombaerts P, Zufall F (2021) Neuron 109, 2469-2484.

A diacylglycerol photoswitching protocol for studying TRPC channel functions in mammalian cells and tissue slices. Leinders-Zufall T, Storch U, Mederos y Schnitzler M, Ojha NK, Koike K, Gudermann T, Zufall F (2021) STAR Protocols 2, 100527.

A central mechanism of analgesia in mice and humans lacking the sodium channel Nav1.7. MacDonald DI, Sikanda S, Weiss J, Pyrski M, Luiz AP, Millet Q, Emery EC, Mancini F, Iannetti GD, Alles SRA, Arcangeletti M, Zhao J, Cox JJ, Brownstone RM, Zufall F, Wood JN (2021) Neuron 109, 1-16.

Sensory Detection by the Vomeronasal Organ Modulates Experience-Dependent Social Behaviors in Female Mice. Trouillet, A.C., Moussu C, Poissenot K, Keller M, Birnbaumer L, Leinders-Zufall T, Zufall F, Chamero P (2021) Front. Cell. Neurosci.

Cyclic regulation of Trpm4 expression in female vomeronasal neurons driven by ovarian sex hormones. Eckstein E, Pyrski M, Pinto S, Freichel M, Vennekens R, Zufall F (2020) Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 105, 103495.