Dr Kai Erdmann
School of Biosciences
Senior Lecturer in Molecular Cell Biology
Director of Postgraduate Research


- Profile
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- 2012-present: Senior Lecturer, School of Biosciences, ºù«Ӱҵ
- 2006-2012: Group leader, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
- 2005-2006: Research Associate, Yale University School of Medicine, USA
- 2003-2005: Feodor Lynen Fellow (Alexander von Humboldt foundation), Yale University School of Medicine, USA
- 1998-2003: Junior group leader, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
- 1996-1998: Postdoctoral work, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
- 1993-1996: PhD, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
- Research interests
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Molecular and Cellular Mechanobiology: Mechanisms of Mechanotransduction
Mechanical cues like extracellular matrix stiffness, fluid flow shear stress or spatial confinement play an important role in development, cell and tissue homeostasis as well as in disease initiation or progression (e.g., cancer or fibrosis). Our group is interested in how such mechanical signals are translated into cellular biochemical changes (a process called mechanotransduction) and how these changes contribute to regulate key cellular behaviour like cell proliferation and migration. Importantly, we also investigate the role of mechanotransduction in disease progression with a special focus on its role in fibrosis and cancer. We have used the well-established mechanotransducer YAP (Figure 1) as a model to develop molecular screens to identify novel proteins with a role in mechanotransduction.
Note: We are aiming to identify proteins that are controlled in a similar manner and investigate their role in mechanotransduction.
Membrane trafficking: Regulation of receptor cell surface expression
Cell surface expression levels of receptors are controlled by a tight balance of receptor endocytosis and recycling. We are investigating underpinning membrane trafficking mechanisms that regulate receptor cell surface expression. In particular we are interested in the cell surface regulation of the apoptosis receptor Fas/CD95 and have recently identified a novel crosstalk between regulation of Fas/CD95 membrane trafficking and apoptotic signalling (Figure 2). More recently we have started to investigate the effect of mechanical cues like ECM stiffness on the regulation of membrane trafficking as part of the cellular mechanoresponse.
- Publications
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Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
All publications
Journal articles
Conference proceedings papers
Preprints
- Research group
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- Andrew Wood (arwood1@sheffield.ac.uk)
- Pei Li Tseng (pltseng1@sheffield.ac.uk)
- Ahmed Salem (amasalem1@sheffield.ac.uk)
- Mubarak Alaklobie (msalaklobie1@sheffield.ac.uk)
- Weiwei Sun (wsun22@sheffield.ac.uk)
Previous lab members:
- Fangyan Yu
- Shruti Sharma
- Agnieszka Skowronek
- Claire Murzeau
- Kinga Kosim
- Sindhu N Naik
- Antonio Carmona-Serrano
- Elena Naumovska
- Claudia Beaurivage
Collaborations:
- Jochen Guck Technical University, Dresden, Germany
- Grants
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- (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)
- Teaching activities
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Undergraduate and postgraduate taught modules
Undergraduate
- BMS110 Research Topics in Biomedicine
- BMS301 Membrane Receptors
- BMS376 Membrane Trafficking
- Level 3 Practical and Dissertation Modules
MSc (Masters)
- BMS6082 Practical Cell Biology
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Coordinator of the Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN)
- Visiting scientist Yale University School of Medicine (Sept/Oct. 2011)
- Eurotrans-Bio (ETB) Award (2011) (consortium)
- Feodor Lynen postdoctoral fellow (Alexander von Humboldt foundation) (2003-2005)
- Opportunities
We advertise PhD opportunities (Funded or Self-Funded) on FindAPhD.com
For further information about these projects and how to apply at ºù«Ӱҵ, see our PhD Opportunities page.