Holger Bierhoff

Holger Bierhoff serves as an Associate Group Leader at Friedrich Schiller University Jena with an associated position at the Leibniz Institute on Aging (FLI), operating from the Center for Molecular Biomedicine (CMB). His research group maintains a guest status collaboration with FLI while being primarily based at the university.

Professor Bierhoff's research focuses on epigenetics of aging, specifically investigating how non-coding RNAs form RNA:DNA triplex structures to regulate chromatin landscape. His lab has developed novel molecular tools to detect and characterize these triplex structures genome-wide, examining how they compete with protein binding or alternative nucleic acid structures at target sites. Current work explores connections between ribosome biogenesis, nucleolar function, and aging processes using human and mouse cell models.

His publication record shows consistent high-impact output, with multiple significant papers in 2024 including research on RNA:DNA triplexes as epigenetic communication mechanisms, rRNA synthesis and longevity in C. elegans, and breast cancer mechanisms. His work appears in prestigious journals such as Nature Communications, Cell Reports, and Nucleic Acids Research.

Professor Bierhoff leads two major funded projects: AgingComb (funded by European Regional Development Fund) investigating genomic alterations through high-throughput DNA analysis, and 'Nucleolus as a target' (funded by European Social Fund) developing nucleolar changes as biomarkers for healthy aging. Both projects involve interdisciplinary collaborations between university researchers and clinical partners.

His lab maintains active supervision of doctoral, master's, and bachelor students, creating a collaborative research environment focused on cutting-edge epigenetic mechanisms in aging. The group is embedded within the Zentrum für Alternsforschung Jena (ZAJ) and the Leibniz Research Alliance Resilient Ageing, providing students with access to advanced facilities and interdisciplinary networks.