Patrick Öckl

PD Dr. Patrick Öckl serves as a Group Leader at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Ulm, affiliated with the University of Ulm's Faculty of Medicine. His research focuses on discovering and validating fluid biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), to improve early diagnosis and disease monitoring.

Öckl's group employs advanced mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS, targeted MRM/PRM) and immunoassays (Simoa, Ella) to analyze proteins and peptides in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, and tissue samples. Key research areas include proteomics and peptidomics for identifying synaptic degeneration markers such as synucleins, VGF, and ubiquitin across Alzheimer's disease, ALS, and FTLD. The lab specializes in translational biomarker development from discovery to clinical validation.

The Öckl Lab maintains state-of-the-art instrumentation including Thermo Exploris 480 Orbitrap, Sciex QTRAP6500, and Thermo Q Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometers coupled with liquid chromatography systems, alongside Quanterix Simoa HD-1 and ProteinSimple Ella platforms for high-sensitivity immunoassays. This infrastructure supports large-scale cohort validation of biomarker candidates like UCHL1, MAP2, and GPNMB for ALS/FTLD.