Prof. Dr. Thomas Holstein
Project Leader A05
Heidelberg University
Centre for Organismal Studies (COS)
Department of Molecular Evolution and Genomics
Im Neuenheimer Feld 230
D-69120 Heidelberg
thomas.holstein@cos.uni-heidelberg.de

Professional Career
since 2004
Professor of Molecular Evolution and Genomics (C4)
Zoological Institute and Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University
1998-2004
Professor of Cell Biology (C4)
Zoological Institute, Darmstadt University (TU)
1993-1998
Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology (C3)
Zoological Institute, Frankfurt University
1987-1992
Research Associate (C2)
Zoological Institute, Munich University (LMU)
1983-1987
Research Fellow
Zoological Institute, Munich University (LMU), Germany
1980-1983
Research Fellow
Zoological Institute, Zurich University, Switzerland
1991
Dr.rer.nat.habil
Munich University (LMU)
1980
Dr.phil
Vienna University, Austria
Achievements & Awards
since 2017
Speaker, since 2021 Vice-Speaker
DFG Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1324
since 2020
Member
Academic Advisory Council, Heidelberg University
since 2018
Visiting professor
Developmental Biology, Kyoto University, Japan
2015-2020
President
President of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
2013-2019
Member
Senate Committee on Research Training Groups, DFG
2013-2014
Fellow
Marsilius Kolleg, Heidelberg University
2013-2015
Head
Math.-Nat. Class of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
2012-2018
Directorate Member
“Heidelberg-Karlsruhe Research Partnership” (HEiKA)
2011-2012
Fellow
Marsilius Kolleg, Heidelberg University
2010-2014
Vice-Coordinator
DFG Collaborative Research Center SFB 873
2009-2014
Vice-Coordinator
DFG Research Unit FOR1036
since 2007
Elected Member
Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
2007-2012
Dean of the Faculty of Biosciences
Heidelberg University
since 2006
Member and Vice-Coordinator
Heidelberg Excellence Cluster Cellular Networks
2006-2013
Member of the Steering committee
Heidelberg Molecular Life Science (HMLS)
since 2005
Founder and Head
Nikon Imaging Center at Heidelberg University
2004-2012
Member and Deputy Spokesperson
DFG Reviewing Board 203-06
2004-2011
Director of the Zoological Institute
Heidelberg University
2002-2004
Director of the Zoological Institute
Darmstadt University (TU)
1998-2000
Dean of the Faculty of Biology
Darmstadt University (TU)
1996-1997
Offers for full professorships at the Universities of Karlsruhe and Vienna, declined
1993-1995
Visiting professor for Developmental Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
Publications
Wnt/β-catenin signaling induces axial elasticity patterns of Hydra extracellular matrix
From injury to patterning-MAPKs and Wnt signaling in Hydra
Injury-induced MAPK activation triggers body axis formation in Hydra by default Wnt signaling
The role of cnidarian developmental biology in unraveling axis formation and Wnt signaling.
Dev Biol. 2022 Apr 22;487:74-98. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.04.005. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35461834
Learn moreTwo plus one is almost three: a fast approximation for multi-view deconvolution
Biomed Opt Express. 2021 Dec 7;13(1):147-158. doi: 10.1364/BOE.443660. eCollection 2022 Jan 1. PMID: 35154860
Learn moreThe Wnt-specific astacin proteinase HAS-7 restricts head organizer formation in Hydra
MAPK signaling links the injury response to Wnt-regulated patterning in Hydra regeneration
Tursch, A., M. Lommel, N. Bartsch, and T.W. Holstein. 2020. bioRxiv, preprint.
Learn moreExpansion of a single transposable element family is associated with genome-size increase and radiation in the genus Hydra
Wong WY, Simakov O, Bridge DM, Cartwright P, Bellantuono AJ, Kuhn A, Holstein TW, David CN, Steele RE, Martínez DE. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Nov 12;116(46):22915-22917. PMID: 31659034
Learn moreWhat makes flatworms go to pieces
Holstein TW. Nature. 2019 Aug;572(7771):593-594. PMID: 31444489
Learn moreHydra Mesoglea Proteome Identifies Thrombospondin as a Conserved Component Active in Head Organizer Restriction
Lommel M, Strompen J, Hellewell AL, Balasubramanian GP, Christofidou ED, Thomson AR, Boyle AL, Woolfson DN, Puglisi K, Hartl M, Holstein TW, Adams JC, Özbek S. Sci Rep. 2018 Aug 6;8(1):11753. PMID:30082916
Learn moreMaking head or tail of cnidarian hox gene function
Rentzsch F, Holstein TW. Nat Commun. 2018 Jun 5;9(1):2187. PMID:29872045
Learn moreTracking mechanical and morphological dynamics of regenerating Hydra tissue fragments using a two fingered micro-robotic hand
Veschgini, M., Gebert, F., Khangai, N., Ito, H., Suzuki, R., Holstein, T. W., Mae, Y., Arai, T. and Tanaka, M. 2016. Appl. Phys. Lett. 108, 103702
Learn moreA Comprehensive Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of Hydra Head Regeneration.
Petersen, H.O., S.K. Hoger, M. Looso, T. Lengfeld, A. Kuhn, U. Warnken, C. Nishimiya-Fujisawa, M. Schnolzer, M. Kruger, S. Ozbek, O. Simakov, and T.W. Holstein. Mol Biol Evol. 2015 Aug;32(8):1928-47. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msv079. Epub 2015 Apr 3. PMID: 25841488
Learn moreNodal signalling determines biradial asymmetry in Hydra
Molecular dissection of Wnt3a-Frizzled8 interaction reveals essential and modulatory determinants of Wnt signaling activity
BMC Biol. 2014 May 30;12:44. doi: 10.1186/1741-7007-12-44. PMID: 24885675
Learn moreAutoregulatory and repressive inputs localize Hydra Wnt3 to the head organizer
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 May 31;108(22):9137-42. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1018109108. Epub 2011 May 16. PMID: 21576458
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