IDG

Correcting mutation by genetic engineering

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The Institute of Developmental Genetics (IDG) develops novel genetic tools and gene therapies. Using preclinical mouse and human cell models, it investigates the molecular causes of Parkinson’s disease to advance therapies like somatic cell reprogramming into neurons.

The Institute of Developmental Genetics (IDG) focuses on the development of novel genetic tools (i.e. gene scissors) and the establishment of innovative gene therapeutical approaches. In addition, preclinical mouse and cellular human models are used to decipher the molecular underpinnings of the etiology of Parkinson´s Disease. Based on our findings therapeutic approaches, i.e. reprogramming of somatic cells to neurons, are developed and improved.

Genetic engineering and gene manipulation concept. Hand is replacing part of a DNA molecule.

Wurst / Giesert

Doctor holding in hand Regenerative Medicine

Wurst / Giesert / Vogt Weisenhorn

Laboratory transgenic mouse on the researcher`'s hand

Hölter-Koch

Human (animal) cell under microscope. 3d illustration

Bürger

Our News

AI, Awards & Grants, Stem Cells, IDG, Computational Health, ICB, July 03, 2025

Researchers at Helmholtz Munich received the pre-seed competition m4 Award 2025 for their project SYNTRA, which develops new methods to deliver RNA-based medicines using artificial intelligence (AI). The award supports innovative medical research in…

Picture with Cas13d-NCS for Press Release in Cell Discovery 2024

New Research Findings, IDG, VIRO, April 12, 2024

The rise of RNA viruses like SARS-CoV-2 highlights the need for new ways to fight them. RNA-targeting tools like CRISPR/Cas13 are powerful but inefficient in the cytoplasm of cells, where many RNA viruses replicate. Scientists from Helmholtz Munich…

Featured Publication, Stem Cells, IDG, Bioengineering, ISBM, November 28, 2023

Sporadic Parkinson's Disease (sPD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. While mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to this condition, its role across disease progression remains unclear.…

Featured Publication, IDG, August 17, 2022

Parkinson's disease, formerly known as shaking palsy, is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in Germany after Alzheimer's disease. It affects about 400,000 people in Germany alone and can neither be cured nor can its progression be…

Cover Art: The Cut and Restore Protein Trick: Self-Excising Designer Proteins Report Isoform Expression

New Research Findings, IDG, ISBM, June 04, 2021

Our proteome is much bigger than our genome because one gene produces several variants of proteins called protein isoforms, whose disbalance is implicated in many diseases. A new bioengineered reporter system developed at Helmholtz Zentrum München…

Reprogrammed neurons upon Ascl1 expression and neuron-enriched mitochondrial proteins.

New Research Findings, IDG, ISF, November 17, 2020

The replacement of lost neurons is a holy grail for neuroscience. A new promising approach is the conversion of glial cells into new neurons. Improving the efficiency of this conversion or reprogramming after brain injury is an important step towards…

New Research Findings, IDG, January 29, 2020

Duchenne type muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common hereditary muscular disease among children, leaving them wheelchair-bound before the age of twelve and reducing life expectancy. Researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum München, Technical University…

Würfel mit Fragezeichen auf den Seiten und Ausrufezeichen oben auf einer Tastatur

IDG Sekretariat

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wurst

Emeritus of Excellence, Chair of Developmental Genetics, Technical University Munich; until 31.12.2024 Director of the Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Munich View profile

Dr. Daniela Vogt-Weisenhorn

Teamleader and Deputy Director

Dr. Karin Ganea

Scientific Manager

Anja Folchert

Technician

Annerose Kurz-Drexler

Technician

Dr. Florian Giesert

Teamleader

Prof. Dr. Thomas Floss

Teamleader

Denise Herold

Technician

Susanne Badeke

Technician

Dr. Jordi Guimera

Senior Scientist

Dr. Lillian Garrett

Postdoc

Jan Einicke

Technician

Dr. Sabine Hölter-Koch

Teamleader

Bettina Sperling

Technician

Adrianne Tasdemir

Technician

Heidi Krause

Technician

Susanne Bourier

Technician

Dr. Claudia Seisenberger

Senior Scientist

Dr. Antje Bürger

Teamleader

Dorota German

Technician

Dr. Viola Maier

Postdoc

Dr. Annemarie Zimprich

Postdoc

Joachim Beig

Bioinformatician

Christoph Massner

Tanja Orschmann

SCADEV technician and manager

Verena Zimmer

Technician

Dr. Benedikt Wefers

Kristina Niedermeier

PhD student

Sebastian Schmidt

PhD student

Dr. Claudia Seisenberger

Senior Scientist

Denise Herold

Technician

Susanne Bourier

Technician

Jonas Wanninger

Technician

Daniel Pawliczek

PhD Student

Sabrina Auer

Technician

Christoph Gruber

PhD Student

Iolo Balken

PhD Student

Sina Hembach

PhD Student

See all

2024 Cell Discov. 2024 Apr 12;10(1):42

Gruber C, Krautner L, Bergant V, Grass V, Ma Z, Rheinemann L, Krus A, Reinhardt F, Mazneykova L, Rocha-Hasler M, Truong DJ, Westmeyer GG, Pichlmair A, Ebert G, Giesert F, Wurst W.

Engineered, nucleocytoplasmic shuttling Cas13d enables highly efficient cytosolic RNA targeting.

2023 Nat Commun. 2023 Nov 23;14(1):7674.

Schmidt S, Stautner C, Vu DT, Heinz A, Regensburger M, Karayel O, Trümbach D, Artati A, Kaltenhäuser S, Nassef MZ, Hembach S, Steinert L, Winner B, Jürgen W, Jastroch M, Luecken MD, Theis FJ, Westmeyer GG, Adamski J, Mann M, Hiller K, Giesert F, Vogt Weisenhorn DM, Wurst W.

A reversible state of hypometabolism in a human cellular model of sporadic Parkinson's disease.

2022 Nat Commun. 2022 Aug 16;13(1):4819.

Schmidt S, Luecken MD, Trümbach D, Hembach S, Niedermeier KM, Wenck N, Pflügler K, Stautner C, Böttcher A, Lickert H, Ramirez-Suastegui C, Ahmad R, Ziller MJ, Fitzgerald JC, Ruf V, van de Berg WDJ, Jonker AJ, Gasser T, Winner B, Winkler J, Vogt Weisenhorn DM, Giesert F, Theis FJ, Wurst W.

Primary cilia and SHH signaling impairments in human and mouse models of Parkinson's disease.

2022 EMBO Mol Med. 2022 May 9;14(5):e14797.

Giehrl-Schwab J, Giesert F, Rauser B, Lao CL, Hembach S, Lefort S, Ibarra IL, Koupourtidou C, Luecken MD, Truong DJ, Fischer-Sternjak J, Masserdotti G, Prakash N, Ninkovic J, Hölter SM, Vogt Weisenhorn DM, Theis FJ, Götz M, Wurst W.

Parkinson's disease motor symptoms rescue by CRISPRa-reprogramming astrocytes into GABAergic neurons.

2021 Cell Stem Cell. 2021 Mar 4;28(3):524-534.e7.

Russo GL, Sonsalla G, Natarajan P, Breunig CT, Bulli G, Merl-Pham J, Schmitt S, Giehrl-Schwab J, Giesert F, Jastroch M, Zischka H, Wurst W, Stricker SH, Hauck SM, Masserdotti G, Götz M.

CRISPR-Mediated Induction of Neuron-Enriched Mitochondrial Proteins Boosts Direct Glia-to-Neuron Conversion.

2020 Nat Med. 2020 Feb;26(2):207-214.

Moretti A, Fonteyne L, Giesert F, Hoppmann P, Meier AB, Bozoglu T, Baehr A, Schneider CM, Sinnecker D, Klett K, Fröhlich T, Rahman FA, Haufe T, Sun S, Jurisch V, Kessler B, Hinkel R, Dirschinger R, Martens E, Jilek C, Graf A, Krebs S, Santamaria G, Kurome M, Zakhartchenko V, Campbell B, Voelse K, Wolf A, Ziegler T, Reichert S, Lee S, Flenkenthaler F, Dorn T, Jeremias I, Blum H, Dendorfer A, Schnieke A, Krause S, Walter MC, Klymiuk N, Laugwitz KL, Wolf E, Wurst W, Kupatt C.

Somatic gene editing ameliorates skeletal and cardiac muscle failure in pig and human models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Stem Cell Center Institute of Developmental Genetics

About our Research

Our Research Areas

Genetic Tools Development / Genetherapy

Neuroregeneration / Neuroprotection

Behavioral Neuroscience

EUMMCR - European Mouse Mutant Cell Repository

Our News

m4 Award 2025 Goes to Helmholtz Munich for RNA Therapy Innovation

Innovative Antiviral Defense With New CRISPR Tool

Breakthrough Discovery Unravels Metabolic Mysteries in Sporadic Parkinson’s Disease Etiology

New Insights From Parkinson’s Research: Inhibition of Shh Signal Transduction as a Possible Early Treatment Approach

The Cut and Restore Protein Trick: Self-Excising Designer Proteins Report Isoform Expression

Researchers Improve Neuronal Reprogramming by Manipulating Mitochondria

Gene Scissors Against Incurable Muscular Disease

Our Scientist

IDG Sekretariat

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wurst

Dr. Daniela Vogt-Weisenhorn

Dr. Karin Ganea

Anja Folchert

Annerose Kurz-Drexler

Dr. Florian Giesert

Prof. Dr. Thomas Floss

Denise Herold

Susanne Badeke

Dr. Jordi Guimera

Dr. Lillian Garrett

Jan Einicke

Dr. Sabine Hölter-Koch

Bettina Sperling

Adrianne Tasdemir

Heidi Krause

Susanne Bourier

Dr. Claudia Seisenberger

Dr. Antje Bürger

Dorota German

Dr. Viola Maier

Dr. Annemarie Zimprich

Joachim Beig

Christoph Massner

Tanja Orschmann

Verena Zimmer

Dr. Benedikt Wefers

Kristina Niedermeier

Sebastian Schmidt

Dr. Claudia Seisenberger

Denise Herold

Susanne Bourier

Jonas Wanninger

Daniel Pawliczek

Sabrina Auer

Christoph Gruber

Iolo Balken

Sina Hembach

Highlight Publications

Networks and Affiliations

Contact

IDG Sekretariat