Dr. Tim Czopka
Academic Career and Research Areas
Dr. Czopka (b. 1980) studied Biology at the Ruhr University Bochum where he received his Diploma in 2005 and his PhD in Neuroscience in 2009. He then did his postdoctoral training at the University of Edinburgh until 2014. Since 2015 Dr. Czopka is an Emmy Noether group leader at the TUM Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology (TUM-NCB).
Dr. Czopka investigates mechanisms of myelination. Myelin protects nerve fibers and is absolutely critical for nervous system function, evident in demyelinating diseases like Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Czopka aims to elucidate how the formation of new myelin during central nervous system development and repair is regulated. To do this he uses small tropical zebrafish, which are an excellent model for in vivo live cell imaging and genetic manipulation. This, in combination with modern imaging technologies, allows to investigate complex cellular interactions at unprecedented resolution. This provides information on the fundamental principles that control myelinating cell behavior in vivo.
Awards
- ERC Starting Grant (2016)
- Emmy-Noether fellowship of the German Research Foundation (2014)
- EMBO long-term fellowship (2011)
- PhD fellowship of the "International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Bochum" (2005)
Key Publications (all publications)
Mensch S, Baraban M, Almeida R, Czopka T, Ausborn J, El Manira A, Lyons DA. “Synaptic vesicle release regulates myelin sheath number of individual oligodendrocytes in vivo.” Nature Neuroscience. 2015 in press
AbstractSnaidero N, Möbius W, Czopka T, Hekking LH, Mathisen C, Verkleij D, Goebbels S, Edgar J, Merkler D, Lyons DA, Nave KA, Simons M.: “Myelin membrane wrapping of CNS axons by PI(3,4,5)P3-dependent polarized growth at the inner tongue.” Cell. 2014; 156(1-2):277-90.
AbstractCzopka T, ffrench-Constant C, Lyons DA. “Individual oligodendrocytes have only a few hours in which to generate new myelin sheaths in vivo.” Developmental Cell. 2013; 25(6):599-609.
AbstractAlmeida RG, Czopka T, ffrench-Constant C, Lyons DA. “Individual axons regulate the myelinating potential of single oligodendrocytes in vivo.” Development. 2011; 138(20):4443-50.
AbstractCzopka T, von Holst A, ffrench-Constant C, Faissner A. “Regulatory mechanisms that mediate tenascin C-dependent inhibition of oligodendrocyte precursor differentiation.” Journal of Neuroscience. 2010; 30(37):12310-22.
Abstract