Felix Nitschke

Dr. Felix Nitschke is an Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center in the Departments of Pediatrics and Biochemistry. He specializes in carbohydrate research, focusing on glycogen metabolism and neurodegenerative diseases such as Lafora disease. His work combines basic research into glycogen structure with therapeutic strategies, including gene therapy and enzyme replacement. He has published extensively in high-impact journals and authored a textbook integrating plant starch and glycogen enzymology.

Dr. Nitschke earned his Ph.D. from the University of Potsdam (2013) and completed postdoctoral training at The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto. His research has led to paradigm shifts in understanding Lafora disease pathogenesis, demonstrating that glycogen hyperphosphorylation is a consequence rather than the cause of the disease. His lab develops novel therapies, such as fusion proteins combining starch-degrading enzymes with cell-penetrating toxins to degrade pathogenic glycogen.

Key research pillars include: 1) elucidating mechanisms maintaining glycogen solubility, and 2) advancing enzyme replacement therapies for rare diseases. His lab collaborates globally, with presentations at the International Lafora Disease Workshop and contributions to initiatives like the Nitschke Lab at UTSW.

Therapeutic innovations include non-toxic diphtheria toxin-amylase fusion proteins and CRISPR-based gene therapies targeting glycogen synthase-1. These approaches aim to address polyglucosan accumulation in neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr. Nitschke’s work integrates biochemical methodologies, mouse models, and clinical translation, with a focus on bridging basic science and therapeutic applications.