Jörn Dengjel

Prof. Jörn Dengjel is a Professor and Group Leader at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg. His research focuses on autophagy regulation, protein phosphorylation dynamics, and metabolic reprogramming using quantitative proteomics and mass spectrometry. He leads multiple SNSF-funded projects exploring autophagy in yeast and human cancer models, with translational applications in epidermolysis bullosa and neurodegenerative diseases.

• Research Pillars
  • Phosphorylation-based control of autophagy initiation
  • ULK1/2 kinase complex interactions
  • Selective degradation of protein complexes
  • 3D cell culture models for cancer and aging

Recent Trends: His 2025-2023 work emphasizes mitochondrial quality control, neuronal stress adaptation, and metabolic rewiring in autophagy across C. elegans, yeast, and human fibroblasts. Key themes include calcineurin-CaMKI antagonism, HDAC8-regulated Schwann cell reprogramming, and ULK1-PP2A feedback loops.

Scientific Contributions:

• Pioneered phosphoproteomics methods for autophagy studies
• Established 3D hydrogel models for extracellular matrix analysis
• Identified novel autophagy substrates like SnRK1.1 and EPB41L5
• Developed anti-fibrosis strategies via histone deacetylase inhibition