Kerstin Hasenpusch-Theil

Personal Profile  

• 2006 -present      Postdoctoral Researcher - Centre of Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, UK.
• 2002 – 2006          Postdoctoral Researcher - Molecular Neurobiology Lab, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, Germany. 
• 2000 – 2002          Postdoctoral Fellow  - Molecular Neurobiology Lab, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, Germany. 
• 1998                        Environmental controller  - LEB school, Hannover, Germany.
• 1995-1998             Postdoctoral Fellow  - Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, UK. 
• 1991-1995             PhD in Molecular Genetics - Philipps University Marburg, Germany. 
• 1991                        Diploma (Chemistry) - Ruhr University Bochum, Germany.

Research

In the current project I am investigating a novel role of primary cilia (PC) in cortical stem cells. Previous work from our group has shown that these cilia are functioning as signalling hubs in the developing cerebral cortex. For this study I am using mouse mutants for the ciliary gene Inpp5e to gain further insights and to analyse how cilia signalling mechanisms control the balance between maintenance of the cortical stem cell pool and neurogenesis. In addition, I will look into the role of Inpp5e controlled ciliary signalling, how Inpp5e regulates cilia stability and how defects in cilia stability affect asymmetric inheritance in cortical stem cells.

Relevant Publications

Hasenpusch-Theil K, West S, Kelman A, Kozic Z, Horrocks S, McMahon AP, Price DJ, Mason JO, Theil T. Gli3 controls the onset of cortical neurogenesis by regulating radial glial cell cycle through Cdk6 expression. (Development 2018, in press).

Hasenpusch-Theil K, Watson JA, Theil T. Direct interactions between Gli3, Wnt8b, and Fgfs underlie patterning of the dorsal telencephalon. Cereb Cortex. 2017 Feb 1;27(2):1137-1148. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhv291.

Magnani D, Morlé L, Hasenpusch-Theil K, Paschaki M, Jacoby M, Schurmans S, Durand B, Theil T. The ciliogenic transcription factor Rfx3 is required for the formation of the thalamocortical tract by regulating the patterning of prethalamus and ventral telencephalon. Hum Mol Genet. 2015 May 1;24(9):2578-93. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddv021. Epub 2015 Jan 28.

Mi D, Carr CB, Georgala PA, Huang YT, Manuel MN, Jeanes E, Niisato E, Sansom SN, Livesey FJ, Theil T, Hasenpusch-Theil K, Simpson TI, Mason JO, Price DJ. Pax6 exerts regional control of cortical progenitor proliferation via direct repression of Cdk6 and hypophosphorylation of pRb. Neuron. 2013 Apr 24;78(2):269-84. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.02.012.

Amaniti EM, Hasenpusch-Theil K, Li Z, Magnani D, Kessaris N, Mason JO, Theil T. Gli3 is required in Emx1+ progenitors for the development of the corpus callosum. Dev Biol. 2013 Apr 15;376(2):113-24. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.02.001. Epub 2013 Feb 8.

Magnani D, Hasenpusch-Theil K, Benadiba C, Yu T, Basson MA, Price DJ, Lebrand C, Theil T. Gli3 controls corpus callosum formation by positioning midline guideposts during telencephalic patterning. Cereb Cortex. 2014 Jan;24(1):186-98. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhs303. Epub 2012 Oct 4.

Magnani D, Hasenpusch-Theil K, Theil T. Gli3 controls subplate formation and growth of cortical axons. Cereb Cortex. 2013 Nov;23(11):2542-51. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhs237. Epub 2012 Aug 17.

Hasenpusch-Theil K, Magnani D, Amaniti EM, Han L, Armstrong D, Theil T. Transcriptional analysis of Gli3 mutants identifies Wnt target genes in the developing hippocampus. Cereb Cortex. 2012 Dec;22(12):2878-93. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhr365. Epub 2012 Jan 10.

Magnani D, Hasenpusch-Theil K, Jacobs EC, Campagnoni AT, Price DJ, Theil T. The Gli3 hypomorphic mutation Pdn causes selective impairment in the growth, patterning, and axon guidance capability of the lateral ganglionic eminence. J Neurosci. 2010 Oct 13;30(41):13883-94. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3650-10.2010.

Willaredt MA, Hasenpusch-Theil K, Gardner HA, Kitanovic I, Hirschfeld-Warneken VC, Gojak CP, Gorgas K, Bradford CL, Spatz J, Wölfl S, Theil T, Tucker KL. A crucial role for primary cilia in cortical morphogenesis. J Neurosci. 2008 Nov 26;28(48):12887-900. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2084-08.2008.