Thomas J. Jentsch

Thomas J. Jentsch is a Professor and Head of the Jentsch Group at the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) in Berlin. He holds dual doctoral degrees in Medicine and Physics from Freie Universität Berlin, with postdoctoral training in molecular cell biology at MIT/Whitehead Institute. His research focuses on ion transport mechanisms across cellular membranes, leveraging genetic mouse models and electrophysiological techniques. Key areas include CLC chloride channels/transporters, volume-regulated anion channels (VRAC/LRRC8), and acid-sensitive ASOR/TMEM206 channels. His work bridges molecular studies with systemic physiology, elucidating roles in neurodegeneration, epilepsy, deafness, osteopetrosis, and immune responses. Notable contributions include the discovery of VRAC (2014) and ASOR (2019), which revealed critical functions in tumor drug resistance, insulin secretion, and innate immunity. Current projects explore structure-function relationships of ion channels and their roles in organ-specific pathologies.

Educational background: Medicine & Physics (Freie Universität Berlin), postdoctoral research at MIT/Whitehead Institute and ZMNH Hamburg. He transitioned to FMP/MDC Berlin in 2006, becoming a leader in chloride transport research. His lab employs interdisciplinary approaches combining genetics, biochemistry, and systems biology.

Research interests span ion channel regulation, endosomal-lysosomal biology, and translational medicine. Recent work highlights VRAC’s role in cGAMP transport and immune signaling, as well as ASOR’s contributions to cellular pH homeostasis. Collaborations with groups like Xiao’s lab have advanced understanding of antiviral immunity pathways.

Lab members include senior scientists Rosa Planells-Cases and Maya Polovitskaya, postdocs Sumanta Kar and Aleksandra Garifulina, and PhD students Tanushka Rana and Franziska Schmitt. Technical staff supports advanced imaging and molecular biology.

Future directions emphasize structural biology of ion channels, clinical implications of VRAC/ASOR mutations, and leveraging mouse models for disease mechanisms. The lab actively seeks interdisciplinary postdocs to explore novel ion transport roles in health and disease.