The research program of our collaborative research center (CRC) 1324 consists of 15 projects and three technology platforms (projects Z) working on two research areas that are of key importance for advancing our understanding of molecular mechanisms governing Wnt signal transduction. In particular, the CRC 1324 focuses on two overarching topics:

Research focus A: Wnt secretion, trafficking and receptor-ligand interactions

• How are Wnt proteins produced, how are they modified and how are they transported in the extracellular space?
• How do Wnt ligand/receptor interactions specify the signaling response and induce different signaling cascades?

Research focus B: Wnt coupling to downstream and context-dependent signaling

• How is Wnt signaling activated and coupled to different downstream factors in a context-dependent manner?
• How are spatio-temporal dynamics of Wnt signaling controlled?

Projects and scientific concept of the CRC 1324

Projects A

Project A01

A01

Mechanisms of Wnt protein secretion

Prof. Dr. Michael Boutros Prof. Dr. Irmgard Sinning
Project A02

A02

Mechanisms of vascular Wnt signaling during liver homeostasis and tumorigenesis

Prof. Dr. Hellmut G. Augustin
Project A05

A04

Roles of lipids in Wnt secretion and signaling

Prof. Dr. Britta Brügger Prof. Dr. Michael Boutros
Project A05

A05

The Wnt code: Deciphering early Wnt interactions in Hydra

Prof. Dr. Thomas Holstein Prof. Dr. Motomu Tanaka
Project A06

A06

Quantitative fluorescence microscopy for the analysis of Wnt pathway interactions and dynamics

Dr. Gary Davidson Prof. Dr. Gerd Ulrich Nienhaus
Project A07

A07

Cell-specific activation of Wnt signaling in healing after myocardial infarction

Prof. Dr. med. Florian Leuschner
Project A08

A08

Wnt pathway specificity in niche-stem cell control

Dr. Josephine Bageritz Prof. Dr. Ingrid Lohmann

Projects B

Project B01

B01

Role of DDX56 in GSK3ß regulation during Wnt signaling

Prof. Dr. Christof Niehrs
Project B02

B02

Mechanism of oscillatory Wnt signaling dynamics and its role in vertebrate embryos

Dr. Alexander Aulehla
Project B03

B03

The roles of Wnt signaling in genome stability

Prof. Dr. Sergio P. Acebrón Prof. Dr. Holger Bastians
Project B05

B05

Mathematical modeling of spatio-temporal dynamics of Wnt signaling and its function in development and regeneration

Prof. Dr. Anna Marciniak-Czochra
Project B06

B06

Orchestration by the Wnt/Hippo/CD95 signalosome of stem- and EMT-like phenotypes

Prof. Dr. Ana Martin-Villalba
Project B07

B07

Uncovering novel molecular mechanisms within Wnt signaling

Prof. Dr. Irmgard Sinning Apl. Prof. Dr. Suat Özbek
Project B08

B08

Mechanism of AXIN1 degradation after MEK inhibition

Dr. med. Tianzuo Zhan
Project B09

B09

Wnt-cilia signaling in epithelial polarization and renal development

Prof. Dr. Gislene Pereira Prof. Dr. med. Matias Simons

Projects Z

Z01

Central administration

Prof. Dr. Michael Boutros
Project Z02

Z02

Advanced fluorescence microscopy

Prof. Dr. Gerd Ulrich Nienhaus Dr. Ulrike Engel
Project Z03

Z03

Advanced genetic screens and genome engineering

Prof. Dr. Michael Boutros
Project Z04

Z04

Advanced Proteomics

Prof. Dr. Jeroen Krijgsveld

Projects (ended)

Project A03 ended

A03

Ykt6-dependent trafficking of Wnts

Prof. Dr. Julia Gross
Project B04 ended

B04

Wnt signaling in fate determination of retinal precursors

Prof. Dr. Joachim Wittbrodt