Research profile Prof. Dr. Florian Fröhlich

The Fröhlich group studies the mechanisms of sphingolipid homeostasis. Sphingolipids are major components of eukaryotic membranes and function as signaling molecules. Since sphingolipids cannot be stored in cells their levels have to be tightly regulated. Mis-regulation of sphingolipids leads to a variety of diseases such as lysosomal storage disorders. The Fröhlich lab combines systematic proteomics/lipidomics approaches with biochemical and cell biological methods to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying sphingolipid homeostasis.

Research topics

• Molecular mechanisms of lipid homeostasis
• Systematic analysis of protein and lipid transport
• Regulation of sphingolipid biosynthesis
• Lysosomal storage disordes

Model systems

• Baker´s yeast, Saccharomyces cervisae
• Mammalian cell culture
• in vitro reconstitution of enzyme complexes

Methods

• proteomic analysis of purified organelles and protein complexes
• mass spectrometry based lipidomics
• protein expression and purification
• fluorescence microscopy
• high throughput genetic screening

Selected publications

• Esch BM, Limar S, Bogdanowski A, Gournas C, More T, Sundag C, Walter S, Heinisch JJ, Ejsing CS, André B, and Fröhlich F (2020):  Uptake of exogenous serine is important to maintain sphingolipid homeostasis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PLoS Genet. 16.
• Ponsford AH, Ryan TA, Raimondi A, Cocucci E, Wycislo SA, Fröhlich F, Swan LE, Stagi M (2020):  Live imaging of intra-lysosome pH in cell lines and primary neuronal culture using a novel genetically encoded biosensor. Autophagy 00:1–19.
• Eising S, Thiele L, Fröhlich F (2019):  A systematic approach to identify recycling endocytic cargo depending on the GARP complex. eLife 8.