Prof. Roland H. Wenger

Professor of Physiology
Institute of Physiology
University of Zurich
Winterthurerstrasse 190
CH-8057 Zurich
Switzerland

T: +41 (0)44 63 55065
F: +41 (0)44 63 56814
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Research Interests
Our group explores the molecular mechanisms and therapeutical consequences of cellular sensing, signalling and adaptation to changing oxygen availability.

• We search for and characterize novel proteins regulated via proline hydroxylation by the oxygen-sensing PHD family of enzymes.
• We try to understand the differences between hypoxia-inducible transcription factors HIF-1a and HIF-2a and their corresponding target genes, including erythropoietin.
• We study the function of novel oxygen-binding globin proteins in physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
• We identify and functionally analyze target proteins of PASKIN, a novel metabolic sensory/regulatory protein with kinase activity.

To achieve these aims, we use the latest techniques of life science research, including biochemical, immunological, molecular and cell biological techniques as well as genetically modified cells and animals.

Selected Recent Publications

•  Kaufmann M.R., Barth S., Konietzko U., Wu B., Egger S., Kunze R., Marti H.H., Hick M., Müller U., Camenisch G., Wenger R.H. (2013) Dysregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor by presenilin/g-secretase loss-of-function mutations. J. Neurosci. 33, 1915-1926.
• Wollenick K., Hu J., Kristiansen G., Schraml P., Berchner-Pfannschmidt U., Fandrey J., Wenger R.H., Stiehl D.P. (2012) Synthetic transactivation screening reveals ETV4 as co-activator of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 signaling. Nucleic Acids Res. 40, 1928-1943.
• Stiehl D.P., Bordoli M.R., Abreu-Rodríguez I., Wollenick K., Schraml P., Gradin K., Poellinger L., Kristiansen G., Wenger R.H. (2012) Non-canonical HIF-2a function drives autonomous breast cancer cell growth via an AREG-EGFR/ErbB4 autocrine loop. Oncogene 31, 2283-2297.
• Nytko K.J., Maeda N., Schläfli P., Spielmann P., Wenger R.H., Stiehl D.P. (2011) Vitamin C is dispensable for oxygen sensing in vivo. Blood 117, 5485-5493.
• Bordoli M.R., Stiehl D.P., Borsig L., Kristiansen G., Hausladen S., Schraml P., Wenger R.H., Camenisch G. (2011) Prolyl-4-hydroxylase PHD2- and hypoxia-inducible factor 2-dependent regulation of amphiregulin contributes to breast tumorigenesis. Oncogene 30, 548-560.