Anja Nohe

Biological Sciences

Anja Nohe

Associate Professor

anjanohe@udel.edu

302-831-2959

Office: 283 DBI
Lab: 242 DBI

Resources and Links

Anja Nohe's Google Scholar Publications

Education

Diplom. - University of Würzburg (Germany)
Ph.D. - Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg (Germany)
Postdoctoral - University of Western Ontario (Canada)

Research Interests

Development of Delivery Techniques. Current research is limited in tools to transfect proteins into cells, especially the cell nucleus. We recently developed a new very efficient transfection technique for proteins and nanoparticles into the cell nucleus. Our method provides 70-80 percent transfection efficiency of primary cells and cell lines. The uptake is very rapidly, cells stay alive for at least 3 days. Studies show that the method is non invasive, making it a powerful transfection tool. We are currently working on the detailed mechanism of the delivery.
Development of New Imaging Techniques. In order to study signal transduction in real time in live cells new imaging tools must be developed. One major goal of my research focuses on the further development of the Family of Image Correlation Spectroscopy (FICS), a powerful tool to measure protein dynamics, aggregation and signalling.
Differentiation of Stem Cells: Role of Hormones and Growth factors. In general my laboratory is interested in determining molecular dynamics underlying stem cell differentiation. In detail I am interested in developing new imaging techniques and probes to study real time dynamics of signal transduction mechanisms. We are especially interested to develop new probes and delivery techniques and use these approaches to investigate the influence of nanoscale receptor dynamics underlying diseases such as cancer and osteoporosis.

Current Projects

Project 1. Osteoporosis: One in two women and one in eight men over the age of 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. In 2005, osteoporosis-related fractures were responsible for an estimated $19 billion in costs and are estimated to cost 25.3 billion by 2025. Considering these data, it is surprising that only a limited number of treatment options for osteoporosis exist. These options include a majority of antiresorptive agents that target osteoclasts to reduce bone resorption and one approved anabolic agent, which focus on increasing bone formation. Antiresorptive agents inhibit further loss of bone mass, but the induction of bone formation is very slow. A PTH analog is the only current approved therapeutic agent that enhances osteoblast activity. Often in order to prevent rapid bone turnover and loss of the newly formed bone bisphosphonates are administered to block osteoclasts. New more advanced therapeutics for osteoporosis should drive osteogenesis but also inhibit osteoclastogenesis. Our lab focuses on developing new therapeutics that can drive bone formation.

Project 2. OA is a major debilitating disease caused by the gradual loss of cartilage, primarily affecting the knees, hips, hands, feet, and spine. OA increases aggregate health care expenditures by $186 billion annually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 27 million Americans suffer from OA. Estimates show that by year 2030, 20% of the adult U.S. population, or nearly 67 million people, will have physician-diagnosed arthritis. Unfortunately, optimal, long-term treatment for OA has not yet been discovered and new approaches for cartilage repair and regeneration are needed. Our laboratory addresses important problems associated with the treatment of OA.