Working group Prof. Dr. Ursula Seidler

The research focus of the working group lies in the molecular analysis of ion transport processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

Three main areas determine the activity:

• to study the molecular mechanisms of the epithelial barrier and the PH micromileau in the gastrointestinal and biliary tracts
• investigation of the regulation of epithelial ion channels and acid/base transportes in the healthy and diseased gastrointestinal tract
• investigation of the molecular analysis of compartmentalization and multiprotein signaling complex formation in the transport regulation of the gastrointestinal epithelia

In addition, we are involved in the search for new therapy options for patients with gastrointestinal complaints, e.g. Cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease and primary sclerosing cholangitis.

The working group investigates the structure-function relationships, membrane trafficking and the formation of multiprotein complexes in the regulation of intestinal acid/base transportes. Furthermore, the disorders that occur in genetic (e.g. in cystic fibrosis), infectious (e.g. in Helicobacter infection of the gastric mucosa, traveler's diarrhea) and immunological (e.g. in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, after small intestine transplantation) diseases are investigated.

Fluorescent dyes, time-lapse confocal imaging, multiphoton laser scanning microscopy and the influencing of gene expression by small interfering RNA are being developed as new techniques for investigating such processes in native epithelia. Immunoprecipitation and proteomics analyzes are used to elucidate the composition of multiprotein signaling complexes in the brush border membrane.