Dieter Edbauer

Prof. Dr. Dieter Edbauer serves as a Group Leader at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Munich, affiliated with Ludwig Maximilian University. His research centers on C9orf72-associated frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where he discovered non-ATG translation of GGGGCC repeats into toxic dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins.

His laboratory investigates DPR protein toxicity mechanisms including protein sequestration, intercellular transmission, and early biomarker potential in cerebrospinal fluid. Current projects focus on developing immunotherapies and small-molecule inhibitors to block DPR synthesis or aggregation, using primary neurons, mouse models, proteomics, and cryo-electron tomography.

Recent publications (2013-2017) reveal DPR proteins as central players in C9orf72 pathogenesis, linking RNA metabolism defects to TDP-43 pathology. This work spans molecular neuroscience, neuropathology, and translational research, with strong emphasis on therapeutic development.

Funded by the ERC, NOMIS Foundation, and SyNergy Cluster of Excellence, Dr. Edbauer collaborates extensively with the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry and clinical neuropathology groups. His team bridges basic science and patient-oriented research to combat these fatal neurodegenerative disorders.