Prof. Dr. Ana Martin-Villalba

Project Leader B06

Molecular Neurobiology
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg

a.martin-villalba@dkfz-heidelberg.de

https://www.dkfz.de/en/molecular-neurobiology

Professional Career

since 2011

Full Professor (W3)

DKFZ, Heidelberg

since 2011

Division Head

Molecular Neurobiology, DKFZ, Heidelberg

2006

Group Leader of Molecular Neurobiology

DKFZ, Heidelberg

1999

Project Leader

in the Dept. Immungenetik, DKFZ, Heidelberg

2007

Venia legendi (Habilitation)

Heidelberg University

2000

PhD (homologation)

Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture, Spain

1998

M.D.

Heidelberg University

Achievements & Awards

2025

Member

National Academy of Science Leopoldina

2022

ERC Synergy Grant

“PerPetuating Stemness: From single-cell analysis to mechanistic spatio-temporal models of neural stem cell dynamics” (PEPS)

2020

Elected EMBO Member

European Molecular Biology Organization

2019

Female Scientist Award

German Stem Cell Network (GSCN e.v.)

2018

ERC Consolidator Grant

European Research Council (ERC)

2017

President

German Stem Cell Network (GSCN)

2006

Heinz Maier Leibnitz-Preis

DFG

2006

Young Investigator Award

Paul Ehrlich und Ludwig Darmstädter Young Investigator Award

2006

Walther und Christine Richtzenhain-Preis

DKFZ

1997

DAAD

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), Bonn

Publications

Cross-species comparison reveals therapeutic vulnerabilities halting glioblastoma progression

Foerster LC, Kaya O, Wüst V, Danciu DP, Akcay V, Bekavac M, Ziegler KC, Stinchcombe N, Tang A, Kleber S, Tang J, Brunken J, Lois-Bermejo I, Gesteira-Perez N, Ma X, Sadik A, Le PU, Petrecca K, Opitz CA, Liu H, Wirtz CR, Goncalves A, Marciniak-Czochra A, Anders S, Martin-Villalba A. Nat Commun. 2025 Aug 6;16(1):7250. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-62528-w.

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Unraveling regulatory feedback mechanisms in adult neurogenesis through mathematical modelling

Danciu, DP., Klawe, F.Z., Kazarnikov, A., Femmer, L., Kostina, E., Martin-Villalba, A. and Marciniak-Czochra, A. Unraveling regulatory feedback mechanisms in adult neurogenesis through mathematical modelling. npj Syst Biol Appl 11, 82 (2025). doi:10.1038/s41540-025-00563-5

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DNA methylation controls stemness of astrocytes in health and ischaemia

Kremer LPM, Cerrizuela S, El-Sammak H, Al Shukairi ME, Ellinger T, Straub J, Korkmaz A, Volk K, Brunken J, Kleber S, Anders S, Martin-Villalba A. Nature. 2024 Oct;634(8033):415-423. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07898-9. Epub 2024 Sep 4. PMID: 39232166

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Quiescence Modulates Stem Cell Maintenance and Regenerative Capacity in the Aging Brain

Kalamakis G, Brüne D, Ravichandran S, Bolz J, Fan W, Ziebell F, Stiehl T, Catalá-Martinez F, Kupke J, Zhao S, Llorens-Bobadilla E, Bauer K, Limpert S, Berger B, Christen U, Schmezer P, Mallm JP, Berninger B, Anders S, Del Sol A, Marciniak-Czochra A, Martin-Villalba A. Cell. 2019 Mar 7;176(6):1407-1419.e14. PMID: 30827680

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Revealing age related changes of adult hippocampal neurogenesis using mathematical models

Ziebell F, Dehler S, Martin-Villalba A, Marciniak-Czochra A. Development. 2018 Jan 8;145(1):dev153544. doi: 10.1242/dev.153544. PMID: 29229768

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Loss of Dickkopf-1 Restores Neurogenesis in Old Age and Counteracts Cognitive Decline

Seib DR, Corsini NS, Ellwanger K, Plaas C, Mateos A, Pitzer C, Niehrs C, Celikel T, Martin-Villalba A. Cell Stem Cell. 2013 Feb 7;12(2):204-14. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2012.11.010. PMID: 23395445

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