Mikael Simons – Biology of Glia and Neuroinflammation

Glia are essential for the function of the nervous system. We study how glial cells contribute to brain function and how their dysfunction leads to diseases. Our research ranges from functions of glia during nervous system development and maintenance to their role in aging, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. One focus is on myelin, an insulating membrane sheath produced by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system. Destruction of myelin leads is a pathological hallmark of multiple sclerosis, but is also associated with several neurodegenerative disorders. Another focus is on the biology of microglia, and their functions in regenerative and degenerative processes. Our lab combines genetic, molecular, biochemical and advanced light and electron microscopy techniques to study how glia operate in health and disease.
The lab is part of the Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, belongs to the TUM Faculty of Medicine, and is affiliated with the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research. Our lab is located at the Center of Stroke and Dementia Research at Campus Grosshadern in Munich.
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Key Publications

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Safaiyan S*, Besson-Girard S*, Kaya T, Cantuti-Castelvetri L, Liu L, Ji H, Schifferer M, Gouna G, Usifo F, Kannaiyan N, Fitzner D, Xiang X, Rossner MJ, Brendel M, Gokce O, Simons M*. White matter aging drives microglial diversity. Neuron. 2021 Apr 7;109(7):1100-1117.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.01.027. Epub 2021 Feb 18.

Bosch-Queralt M, Cantuti-Castelvetri L, Damkou A, Schifferer M, Schlepckow K, Alexopoulos I, Lütjohann D, Klose C, Vaculčiaková L, Masuda T, Prinz M, Monroe KM, Di Paolo G, Lewcock JW, Haass C, Simons M. Diet-dependent regulation of TGFβ impairs reparative innate immune responses after demyelination. Nat Metab. 2021 Feb;3(2):211-227. doi: 10.1038/s42255-021-00341-7. Epub 2021 Feb 18.

Cantuti-Castelvetri L*, Ojha R*, Pedro LD, Djannatian M*, Franz J, Kuivanen S, van der Meer F, Kallio K, Kaya T, Anastasina M, Smura T, Levanov L, Szirovicza L, Tobi A, Kallio-Kokko H, Österlund P, Joensuu M, Meunier FA, Butcher SJ, Winkler MS, Mollenhauer B, Helenius A, Gokce O, Teesalu T, Hepojoki J, Vapalahti O, Stadelmann C, Balistreri G*, Simons M. Neuropilin-1 facilitates SARS-CoV-2 cell entry and infectivity. Science. 2020 Nov 13;370(6518):856-860. doi: 10.1126/science.abd2985. Epub 2020 Oct 20.

Mukherjee C*, Kling T*, Russo B, Miebach K, Kess E, Schifferer M, Pedro LD, Weikert U, Fard MK, Kannaiyan N, Rossner M, Aicher ML, Goebbels S, Nave KA, Krämer-Albers EM, Schneider A*, Simons M*. Oligodendrocytes Provide Antioxidant Defense Function for Neurons by Secreting Ferritin Heavy Chain. Cell Metab. 2020 Aug 4;32(2):259-272.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.05.019. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Cantuti-Castelvetri L*, Fitzner D*, Bosch-Queralt M, Weil MT, Su M, Sen P, Ruhwedel T, Mitkovski M, Trendelenburg G, Lütjohann D, Möbius W, Simons M. Defective cholesterol clearance limits remyelination in the aged central nervous system. Science. 2018 Feb 9;359(6376):684-688. doi: 10.1126/science.aan4183. Epub 2018 Jan 4.

Fard MK, van der Meer F, Sánchez P, Cantuti-Castelvetri L, Mandad S, Jäkel S, Fornasiero EF, Schmitt S, Ehrlich M, Starost L, Kuhlmann T, Sergiou C, Schultz V, Wrzos C, Brück W, Urlaub H, Dimou L, Stadelmann C, Simons M. BCAS1 expression defines a population of early myelinating oligodendrocytes in multiple sclerosis lesions. Sci Transl Med. 2017 Dec 6;9(419):eaam7816. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aam7816.

Fard MK, van der Meer F, Sánchez P, Cantuti-Castelvetri L, Mandad S, Jäkel S, Fornasiero EF, Schmitt S, Ehrlich M, Starost L, Kuhlmann T, Sergiou C, Schultz V, Wrzos C, Brück W, Urlaub H, Dimou L, Stadelmann C, Simons M. BCAS1 expression defines a population of early myelinating oligodendrocytes in multiple sclerosis lesions. Sci Transl Med. 2017 Dec 6;9(419):eaam7816. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aam7816.

Safaiyan S, Kannaiyan N, Snaidero N, Brioschi S, Biber K, Yona S, Edinger AL, Jung S, Rossner MJ, Simons M. Age-related myelin degradation burdens the clearance function of microglia during aging. Nat Neurosci. 2016 Aug;19(8):995-8. doi: 10.1038/nn.4325. Epub 2016 Jun 13.

Sharma K, Schmitt S, Bergner CG, Tyanova S, Kannaiyan N, Manrique-Hoyos N, Kongi K, Cantuti L, Hanisch UK, Philips MA, Rossner MJ, Mann M, Simons M. Cell type- and brain region-resolved mouse brain proteome. Nat Neurosci. 2015 Dec;18(12):1819-31. doi: 10.1038/nn.4160. Epub 2015 Nov 2.

Snaidero N, Möbius W, Czopka T, Hekking LH, Mathisen C, Verkleij D, Goebbels S, Edgar J, Merkler D, Lyons DA, Nave KA, Simons M. Myelin membrane wrapping of CNS axons by PI(3,4,5)P3-dependent polarized growth at the inner tongue. Cell. 2014 Jan 16;156(1-2):277-90. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.11.044.

Trajkovic K, Hsu C, Chiantia S, Rajendran L, Wenzel D, Wieland F, Schwille P, Brügger B, Simons M. Ceramide triggers budding of exosome vesicles into multivesicular endosomes. Science. 2008 Feb 29;319(5867):1244-7. doi: 10.1126/science.1153124.
Prof. Dr. med. Mikael Simons, Group leader
Jana Salovic, Assistant
Dr. Stefan Berghoff, PostDoc
Dr. Ludovico Cantuti-Castelvetri, PostDoc
Dr. med. Minou Djannatian, PostDoc
Dr. Seiji Kaji, PostDoc
Dr. med Johanna Knoeferle, PostDoc
Alkmini Damkou, PhD student
Liliana Pedro Domingues, PhD student
Garyfallia Gouna, PhD student
Tugberk Kaya, PhD student
Shreeya Kedia, PhD student
Swathi Radha, PhD student
Lennart Schlaphoff, PhD student
Vini Tiwari, PhD student
Martin Zirngibl, PhD student
Jianping Wu, PhD student
Agata Rhomberg, Technician
Tommaso Di Genio, Master student
Simona Vitale, Master student
Cansu Üstüner, Master student
Mikael Simons
Professor of Molecular Neuroscience
Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology (TUM-NCB)
Technical University Munich
 German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD)
Feodor-Lynen-Straße 17
81377 Munich, Germany
Telefon: +49-(0)89 440046495
Email:  mikael.simons@dzne.de;  m.simons@tum.de 

Scientific vita
2016 – present: W3- Professorship and Director, Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, TU Munich, Germany
2020 – present: Head of Clinical Research & Clinical Trial Unit Munich at the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Munich (DZNE/Munich)
2016 – present: Group leader at the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Munich (DZNE/Munich)
2022 – present: Group leader at the Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD)
Since 2004: Board Certificate in Neurology, Department of Neurology, University of Tübingen

Coordinating Functions
2016 – present: Member of the Medical Faculty of the TU Munich
2016 – present: Board member, Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy)
2016 – present: Speaker of the Collaborative Research Centre (TRR 274)
2018 – present: Member of the Graduate School of Systems Neuroscience
2020 – present: Member of the steering board of Clinical Research at the TUM (KKF)
2016 – present: Co-head of the electron microscopy hub of SyNergy
2020 – present: Co-head of the single genomics hub of the Collaborative Research Center 274