Core facility Genetic Epidemiology

The Centre for Genetic Epidemiology (CGE), a newly created core facility by the Medical Faculty of the University of Tubingen, aims to bridge the gap between clinical, epidemiological and basic research. To meet our objectives, we are applying state-of-the-art genomic, bioinformatic and genetic- epidemiological approaches to pursue an individualized medicine (iMed) program to understand the molecular underpinnings of various complex diseases.

Management

Dr. Manu Sharma

Phone number: +49 7071 29-78259

E-mail address: manu.sharma@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Consultation

For your registration please download the registration-file and fill in the fields with the help of the description.

Download "Registration-file

Send the completed chart together with your curriculum or questions and if available your data exclusively to Ms. Guenon with cc to Ms. Hainzl.

doris.guenon@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Niocle.Hainzl@med.uni-tuebingen.de

frontend.sr-only_#{element.contextual_1.children.icon}: Upon receipt your registration you will be promptly contacted for arranging an appointment (usually within 1 week). To register by telephone is not possible!

Our Centre has following main objectives

Identification of genes and risk factors for various complex diseases including but not restrictive to neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson disease, frontotemporal dementia, amytrophic lateral sclerosis), cancer and diabetes using genome wide approaches such as genome wide association studies (GWAS), exome and whole genome sequencing in familial and sporadic patients.
To understand the cross-talk between different complex diseases, and
the identification of enriched cohorts for therapeutic intervention to provide better health care using support vector machine (SVM) approaches.
The development of software tools to analyze next generation data to understand the disease mechanism.

The multidisciplinary approach, as envisioned in the CGE, will provide a comprehensive “genome- map” for better understanding the disease mechanism. This will help to generate physiologically relevant models, and promote the development of novel therapeutics to better treat and ultimately halt disease onset and progression.

Diploma and master thesis

We are looking for highly motivated, team oriented students (master thesis), who are interested to explore the genetic mechanisms underlying complex diseases using state-of-the-art genomics and bioinformatics tools. The candidate will be involved in the analysis of next-generation sequencing data to unveil the genetic etiology of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). Applicants should have good knowledge in programming (JAVA, C++, R), and bioinformatics analyses. Interest in cloud-based application will be an asset.

For master thesis, please send your query to manu.sharma@uni-tuebingen.de.

Projects

Genetic variability in the LRRK2 gene is recognized as one of the most common cause of Parkinson’s disease (PD) mainly in the Caucasian, African-Arab, Ashkenazi Jewish and East Asian populations. There is a complete lack of knowledge regarding the role of LRRK2-dependent PD in the Indian population. To understand the role of the LRRK2 locus and its prevalence in the Indian population, a systematic unbiased assessment of the LRRK2 locus (location on a chromosome) will be performed in Indian population.

Funding: The Michael J Fox Foundation

This project aims to follow a comprehensive approach based on (i) a unique collection of families with autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive PD and (ii) large cohorts of clinically well-defined sporadic PD patients from different populations worldwide for (iii) genetic studies and (iv) assessment of environmental modifiers that will translate into (v) functional validation studies in patient-derived cellular models. Using next generation sequencing strategies including exome sequencing in multiplex families and targeted resequencing in sporadic PD patients, we will disentangle the complex genetic architecture of PD in different populations and attempt to better define the underlying functional variants in disease-associated GWAS loci.

Funding: The Michael J Fox Foundation

Funding

JPND Research

Michael J. Fox Foundation

BMBF

Institute for
Clinical Epidemiology and Applied Biometry