Stephan Sigrist

Prof. Dr. Stephan Sigrist leads a research group at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), focusing on age-related memory decline (AMI). His work bridges synaptic plasticity, autophagy, and NPY signaling using Drosophila olfactory conditioning paradigms combined with genetic, cell biological, and rodent model approaches.

• Institution: German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin
• Key Collaborations: Schmitz and Garner groups for rodent model studies

Research interests center on mechanisms of synaptic aging and neurodegenerative disease pathways. His group investigates how autophagy intersects with synaptic plasticity through evolutionarily conserved NPY signaling, aiming to identify therapeutic targets for AMI. Current projects include cross-species analysis of presynaptic signaling in hippocampal synapses.

Recent publications reveal spermidine's role in autophagy-mediated synaptic protection, showing how modulating presynaptic active zone scaffolds (Brp/bruchpilot protein) preserves learning efficacy during aging. Their work demonstrates that autophagy impairment phenocopies age-related synaptic changes, while NPY signaling elimination reproduces similar deficits in young animals.

The group's findings position synaptic metaplasticity as a critical node for therapeutic interventions in neurodegeneration. Collaborative efforts with the Schmitz lab have characterized presynaptic signaling in rodent hippocampal synapses, expanding their mechanistic framework.

Contact: stephan.sigrist@dzne.de