Swiss scientists network

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Last update: December 2018

Lab Prof. Hugues Abriel

Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern

Institute infrastructure: Cell culture and microscopy techniques, electrophysiology (conventional and automated patch-clamp), protein interaction techniques, animal facility

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Hugues Abriel	Channelopathies, ion channels and protein-protein interactions
Maria Essers lab manager, technician	Animal surgery, biochemistry, immunostaining, protein-protein proximity assay, cardiomyocytes isolation, Langendorff
Sabrina Guichard technician	Cardiomyocytes isolation, genotyping, molecular cloning, generation transgenic animal
Mey Boukenna technician
Dr. Jean-Sébastien Rougier senior scientist	Patch-clamp, new born cardiomyocytes isolation, molecular cloning, protein-protein proximity assay, immunostaining
Dr. Lijo Ozhathil PostDoc	Patch-clamp, atrial cardiomyocytes isolation,
Dr. Daniela Ross- Kaschitza PostDoc	Patch-clamp, molecular cloning, RT-qPCR
Prakash Arullampalam MD-PhD student	Patch-clamp
Sarah Helena Vermij PhD student	Biochemistry, immunostaining, protein-protein proximity assay
Zizun Wang PhD student	Patch clamp, biochemistry, immunostaining, protein-protein proximity assay

Lab Prof. Frédéric Allain

Institute of molecular and biological physics, ETH Zürich

Institute infrastructure: Determination of structures at atomic resolution of Protein-RNA complexes using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR)

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Frédéric Allain
Dr. Antoine Cléry senior scientist

Lab Prof. Francesca Amati

Aging and Muscle Metabolism lab, Department of Physiology & Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne

Lab infrastructure: Human physiology and metabolism research lab including exercise testing, exercise intervention, stable isotope tracers, glucose clamps, indirect calorimetry, body composition.
Zebrafish facility, breeding, exercise testing and training.
Primary muscle cell cultures, respirometry, mitochondria isolation, wet lab, microsopy

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Francesca Amati	Clinical and translational research in muscle metabolism and aging, including muscle wasting, sarcopenia, insulin resistance and the development of other chronic diseases related to muscle metabolism.
Dr. Yoan Arribat Postdoc	Zebrafish, neuromuscular models
Dr. Sylviane Lagarrigue Postdoc	Mitochondrial metabolism, primary cell cultures
Dogan Grepper PhD student	Cell cultures, mitophagy
Aurel Tankeu MD/PhD student	Human metabolism, clinical diabetes

Lab Prof. Johan Auwerx

Laboratory of Integrative and Systems Physiology (LISP) – Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Lab infrastructure:
Goals: to understand the role of mitochondria and proteostasis in health, disease, and aging
Strategy: systems & population genetics, molecular & cellular biology, and computational approaches
Model systems: C. elegans, mouse genetic reference populations, humans
Keywords: Metabolic sensing, Mitochondrial metabolism, Nuclear receptor and cofactor biology, Complex genetics, Genetic reference populations, Aging

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Johan Auwerx	Metabolism, Aging, muscle wasting, sarcopenia, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, IBM, mouse and human genetics, NAD biology, mitochondria.
Mario Romani PhD student	Aging, proteostasis, mitochondria
Peiling Luan PhD student	Muscle stem cells, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, mitochondria and metabolism

Lab Prof. Ori Bar-Nur

Regenerative and Movement Biology lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich

Lab infrastructure and techniques:
I) Tissue culture: primary muscle cell culture, pluripotent stem cell culture (mouse, rat, human), reprogramming somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (mouse, rat, human), reprogramming somatic cells into myogenic progenitors (mouse), isolation of fibro-adipogenic progenitors and satellite cells using surface markers, intramuscular cell transplantation and graft analysis.
(II) Relevant mouse strains: C57BL/10ScSn-Dmdmdx/J, B10ScSn.Cg-Prkdcscid Dmdmdx/J, B6.Cg-Pax7tm1(cre/ERT2)Gaka/J, Pax7-nGFP.

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Ori Bar-Nur	Stem cell biology with emphasis on pluripotent and satellite stem cells, direct lineage reprogramming methods such as conversion of somatic cells into muscle cells, principles of skeletal muscle regeneration.
Nicola Bundschuh Lab manager	Primary muscle cell culture, reprogramming somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9, flow cytometry, FACS sorting.
Joel Zwick PhD student	Reprogramming somatic cells into iPSCs or myogenic progenitors, primary muscle isolation and cell culture, fibro-adipogenic progenitor cell isolation and culture.
Seraina Domenig PhD student	Genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9, production of viral vectors, in vitro modelling of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, reprogramming somatic cells into iPSCs or myogenic progenitors.
Andrew Palmer PhD student	Primary muscle cell culture, TSE running wheel system, Ion Optix in-vitro electrical stimulation of muscle, exercise studies in mice.

Lab Prof. Laurent Bernheim

University of Geneva, Department of Neurosciences and Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism

Institute infrastructure: Calcium imaging, electrophysiology, human primary cell culture, lentivirus

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Laurent Bernheim	Myogenesis, muscle regeneration, muscular dystrophies, electrophysiology
Maud Frieden M.E.R.	Electrophysiology, Bioimaging, STIM1, SOCE
Stephane Koenig scientific collaborator	Molecular biology, myogenesis and muscle regeneration, lentivirus, signal transduction
Axel Tollance PhD student	Reserve cell activation, signal transduction, Ca2+ imaging
Jessica Brunetti PhD student	Myoblast differentiation, signal transduction, Ca2+ imaging, electrical stimulation on cell culture
Dr. Agnieszka Dyrda PostDoc	Electrophysiology, Ca2+ imaging

Lab Prof. Oliver Bieri

Division of Radiological Physics, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Basel

Institute infrastructure: 1.5T and 3T human MRI scanners for in vivo imaging and spectroscopy, electronics laboratory, access to 31P coils for in vivo human spectroscopy and MR-compatible ergometer, equipment for electrical muscle stimulation during MRI.

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Oliver Bieri Head	Methodological development, novel contrast mechanisms.
Dr. Francesco Santini senior scientist	Methodological development, dynamic MRI; MRI safety; electronics design and development.
Dr. Xeni Deligianni PostDoc	Methodological development, quantitative and dynamic MR imaging and spectroscopy; MR image and data analysis.
Dr. Claudia Weidensteiner PostDoc	Methodological development, study design and data analysis, pediatric imaging.
Tanja Haas technician	MRI scanning
Philipp Madörin technician	MRI scanning

Lab Prof. Christoph Handschin

Biozentrum, University of Basel

Institute infrastructure: Treadmill (open and closed), voluntary wheel running, grip strength, CLAMS (comprehensive laboratory animal monitoring system), qNMR (body composition)

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Christoph Handschin	Skeletal muscle cell plasticity in health and disease incl. exercise and muscle wasting pathologies
Dr. Regula Furrer Postdoc	Dysferlinopathy (in vivo testing, in situ force measurements)
Geraldine Maier PhD student	SMA phenotyping (in vivo testing, in situ force measurements)
Martin Weihrauch PhD student	NMJ isolation, transcriptome, imaging

Lab Prof. Didier Hannouche & Dr. Thomas Laumonier

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine & University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland

Institute infrastructure: Hypoxic chamber, Whole Animal System for muscle physiology testing in mice, bioluminescence imaging.

Team	Personal expertise
Didier Hannouche Professor, MD Co-responsible of the lab	Orthopaedic surgery, cell therapy
Dr. Thomas Laumonier Senior scientist, PhD Co-responsible of the lab	Isolation of human myogenic stem cells, cell therapy, immunology, flow cytometry, gene therapy, bioluminescence imaging
Karim Oudina PostDoc	Animal microsurgery, PCR, histology
Ysaline Grand Master student	Cell culture, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence
Joris Paccaud MD student

Lab Prof. Peter Meister

Institute of Cell Bioogy, University of Bern

Institute infrastructure: Confocal Microscopy, Spinning Disk microscopy for live and Calcium imaging

Team	Personal expertise
SNF Prof. Peter Meister	C. elegans, muscle differentiation, epigenetics, nuclear organization, microscopy
Francesca Coraggio PhD student	Cell plasticity, muscle cell induction, pluripotency, genetic screens

Lab Prof. Nicolas Mermod

University of Lausanne, Biotechnology

Institute infrastructure: Muscle in situ electroporation, integrating and non-integrating non-viral DNA expression vectors, Next-generation DNA sequencing and genomics

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Nicolas Mermod	Gene expression and regulation, genomics, epigenetic regulatory elements, non-viral vectors
Dr. Lionel Mavoungou Postdoctoral researcher	gene transfer in cultured muscle progenitor cells and transplantation, MDX murine model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Lab Prof. Markus A. Rüegg

University of Basel, Biozentrum

Institute infrastructure: Muscle electroporation; muscle force measurement; microscopy;cell culture; tread mill; voluntary wheel running; brain physiology.

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Markus A. Rüegg	Muscle physiology; molecular biology; transgenic animal models; neuromuscular diseases.
Dr. Shuo Lin Assistant	Development of neuromuscular junctions; muscle growth and muscular dystrophies.
Dr. Judith Reinhard Research associate	Molecular biology; biochemistry; histology; histochemistry; muscular dystrophies (LAMA2 MD (MDC1A))
Dr. Perrine Castets Postdoc	Muscle Development, muscle physiology, neuromuscular junctions maintenance, autophagy regulation, molecular and cell biology
Dr. Daniel J. Ham Postdoc	Muscle physiology; sarcopenia; muscle function testing.
Dr. Giulia Milan Postdoc	Muscle physiology; cell biology; molecular biology; signaling pathways in muscle disease
Denis Falcetta PhD student
Marco Kaiser PhD student	bioinformatics, molecular biology
Marco Thürkauf Master student
Alexander Ham Master student
Filippo Oliveri Technician	Genotyping of mice, lab management

Lab Prof. Smita Saxena

University of Bern, Dept. for Biomedical research and Dept. of Neurology, Insespital

Institute infrastructure: Confocal microscopy, spinning disk microscopy for live and calcium imaging, muscle force measurement, cell culture, voluntary wheel running, rotarod, stereotaxic surgery, optogenetics, laser dissection microscopy, ALS rodent models (SOD1, TDP-43 and C9ORF72).

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Smita Saxena	Degeneration of motor neruons and neuromuscular junctions in ALS, muscle factors that influence axonal regeneration status, mTOR signalling in motor neurons
Preeti Yadav Postdoc	Motor neuron and iPSC-derived neuronal cultures, electron microscopy
Sebastien Milesi PostDoc
Federica Pilotto PhD student
Carla Pernaci PhD student
July Ricklin PhD student

Lab Prof. Leonardo Scapozza

University of Geneva, Pharmaceutical Biochemistry

Institute infrastructure: Setup for measuring isometric force in sedated living mice or rats; Setup for measuring isometric and eccentric force in excised muscle; Setup for fluorescent imaging in living cells, mdx5Cv dystrophic mouse, mdx5Cv mice bearing conditional mutations for aromatase, estrogen receptors alpha and beta, cell culture facilities (P2 level), HTP plate readers, genomics platforms with capacity for RNA-sequencing and qPCR

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Leonardo Scapozza	Biophysics of interactions: ITC, SPR, Thermophoresis, Enzymology Medicinal Chemistry: Cpds synthesis Biochemistry: protein expression (mg scale), protein purification, target-based in vitro assay, protein characterization (SEC, SEC-MALS)
Dr. Olivier Dorchies Senior Research Associate	Primary cultures of mouse skeletal muscle, in vivo force measurements, in vivo motor function (spontaneous locomotor activity, grid test, wheel running), influxes of radioactive calcium and sodium, fluorescent detection of ROS, roles of ROS and estrogen receptors in muscle dystrophy
Dr. Hesham Ismail Senior scientist	In vivo/ex vivo force measurements, primary mouse skeletal muscle cultures, fluorescent imaging of intracellular pH, sodium fluxes, calcium fluxes, ROS, roles of ROS in muscle dystrophy
Elinam Gayi PhD student	Management of multiple mutant mouse colonies, roles of estrogen receptors in muscle dystrophy
Dr. Amparo Garcia-Lopez PostDoc	In vivo and in vitro study of RNA splicing, screening and characterization of RNA-binding molecules, study of neuromuscular diseases at the molecular and cell biology levels.
Dr. Laurence Neff Research associate	Molecular biology, genome editing, viral vectors
Dr. Marta Sierra Arregui PostDoc	In vivo and in vitro characterization of active and passive behaviour of skeletal and extraocular muscles, In vitro mechanics, In vitro motility, protein exchange in skinned muscle fibres.
Ghali Guedira PhD student
Barbara Pinheiro Tonneau technician	Histological evaluation of skeletal muscle, genotyping

Lab Prof. Michael Sinnreich

University of Basel, Department Neurologie & Biomedizin

Institute infrastructure: Translational research on muscular dystrophies

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Michael Sinnreich	Neuromuscular diseases Muscular Dystrophies
Dr. Christian Klingler Postdoc	Aptamers, cell culture, lipid metabolism
Dr. Jochen Kinter Postdoc	Experience in NGS, drug screenings, aptamers
Dr. Lionel Tintignac senior scientist	Myogenesis, primary culture of muscle cells, NGS and Ribo-seq, proteomics and PTM
Adeline Stiefvater MTA	Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology
Beat Erne ATA	Muscle histology, Immunohistochemistry, Light&Electron microscopy, WB, ELISA
Marine Theodore Biomedical analyst	NMJ characterization, fiber typing, ex-vivo muscle force measurement
Samira Osterop Biomedical analyst	Primary muscle cell culture, drug screening

Lab Profs. Susan Treves and Francesco Zorzato

University of Basel, Biomedicine

Institute infrastructure: excitation contraction, identification and characterization of novel proteins involved in calcium regulation in skeletal muscle and calcium homoestasis

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Susan Treves	Intracellular calcium measurements, resting membrane potential measurements with fluorescent dyes,preparation of primary muscle moytube cultures (human, mouse, EOM), Western blots, preparation of poly and monoclonal Abs, protein purification
Prof. Francesco Zorzato	Force measurements on fast and slow twitch muscles, Ca2+ imaging in single muscle fibers, single fiber dissection, SPARK analysis, electroporation, Western blot, preparation of Abs, protein purification
Sven Nicolay PhD student	Force measurements on fast and slow twitch muscles, Ca2+ imaging on single muscle fibers, Western blots, qPCR, single fiber dissection
Sofia Benucci Master's student
Jan Eckhardt PhD student	superresolution microscopy (STORM), extraocular muscles
Moran Elbaz PostDoc	Force measurements on fast and slow twitch muscles, Ca2+ imaging on single muscle fibers, confocal microscopy, Western blots, qPCR, single fiber dissection
Anne-Sylvie Monnet Research Assistant	Western blots, qPCR, protein purification, cell and tissue culture,subcellular fractionation
Christoph Bachmann Research assistant (Master's)	Western blots, qPCR, protein purification, cell and tissue culture, subcellular fractionation, calcium imaging, confocal and superresolution microscopy

Lab Prof. Beat Trueb

University of Bern, Department of Clinical Research

Institute infrastructure: common

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Beat Trueb	common cloning techniques common cell culture techniques breeding and geno-typing of knock-out mice whole-mount in situ hybridization cell fusion assay
Dr.Lei Zhuang Postdoc
Dr. Philippe Beauchamp Postdoc

Lab Dr. Bernhard Wehrle-Haller

University of Geneva, School of medicine

Institute infrastructure: Microscopy, live-cell imaging, cell culture, fluorescent proteins

Team	Personal expertise
Dr. Bernhard Wehrle-Haller PD, PA	Dynamic regulation of cell-matrix adhesions, live cell imaging, cell culture, FRAP, microscopy, live imaging
Michael Bachmann PostDoc	Fluorescent tag-proteins, live imaging, FRAP, integrin signaling, surface patterning
Marta Ripamonti PhD student	FRAP, integrin signalling
Kenza Fouad PhD student	beta1 integrin acetylation, matrix synthesis
Dr. Adama Sidibé PostDoc	angiogenesis, life cell imaging, beta1 integrin acetylation, matrix synthesis

Lab Prof. Werner Z'Graggen

Inselspital Bern, Department of Neurology

Institute infrastructure: equipment for muscle and nerve excitability measurements, ENMG equipment, muscle MR imaging, histology, mitochondrial activity essays

Team	Personal expertise
Prof. Hugh Bostock PhD, researcher	Musle and nerve excitability measurements