Thomas Misgeld

Thomas Misgeld is a W3 Professor and Director at the Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology (TUM-NCB) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), with additional affiliations at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the Excellence Cluster SyNergy. His research focuses on axon dismantling in health and disease, particularly in neurodegenerative disorders like multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and motor neuron disease.

• Education: Medical degree (TUM, 1998), MD thesis (Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, 1999), Post-Doc (Washington University, Harvard University, 2006).

His work integrates in vivo imaging in zebrafish and mice to study neuro-glial interactions, mitochondrial dynamics, and axonal cytoskeletal changes. He has pioneered techniques like NIRB for correlative microscopy and expansion microscopy for subcellular analysis.

Recent publications highlight mitochondrial heterogeneity, reversible axonal dysfunction in inflammation, and non-cell-autonomous signaling in myelination. Key subfields include axonal transport, microtubule destabilization, and calcium-mediated damage.

• Scientific Awards:
  • 2011 Breuer Foundation Award (Alzheimer's disease and Neurodegeneration)
  • 2007 Schilling Award (German Neuroscience Society)
  • 2005 Robert Feulgen Prize (Society for Histochemistry)

He advises current PhD students like Adrian Marti Pastor and Lorena Olifiers and has mentored graduated students including Caroline Fecher and Dr. Ivana Nikic-Spiegel. His lab collaborates extensively on neurodegeneration and advanced imaging methodologies.