Jörg Tatzelt

Prof. Dr. Jörg Tatzelt is a Professor at the Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry within the Faculty of Medicine at Ruhr University Bochum. He serves as Head of Department for Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases and maintains an active research laboratory focused on protein misfolding disorders.

His research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly the biochemical and cell biological mechanisms underlying protein misfolding in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, polyglutamine expansion diseases, and prion diseases. His work specifically addresses four major areas: cellular mechanisms of protein conformer formation and toxicity, liquid-liquid phase separation in neurodegeneration, signaling pathways induced by neurotoxic conformers, and therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative conditions. His laboratory employs in vitro, neuronal cell culture, and animal models to investigate these complex processes.

Analysis of Prof. Tatzelt's recent publications (2021-2025) reveals a strong emphasis on liquid-liquid phase separation mechanisms in neurodegeneration, particularly regarding prion protein behavior. His work demonstrates how phase separation contributes to protein aggregation in neurodegenerative conditions and explores how cellular factors influence these processes. Recent studies have examined N-terminal domains of prion proteins, membrane anchor effects on aggregation, and cross-seeding phenomena between different misfolded proteins.

Prof. Tatzelt leads an active research group with multiple doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, including Dila Kurtul, Malavika Rajesh, and Dr. Fatemeh Mamashli (a Humboldt scholarship holder). His laboratory maintains strong collaborative relationships with other research groups both within Ruhr University and internationally.

His work contributes significantly to understanding the fundamental mechanisms of protein misfolding diseases and has potential implications for developing novel therapeutic approaches for these currently incurable conditions.