Martin Kampmann, PhD

Associate Professor
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases
and Biochemistry and Biophysics

Functional genomics to understand molecular mechanisms of brain function and disease

Research Description

The Kampmann lab develops and applies innovative technologies to understand cellular and molecular
mechanisms of human brain diseases, and to discover new therapeutic strategies. We have pioneered
a CRISPR-based functional genomics platform in human iPSC-derived neurons, glia and 3D
assembloids, which enables genome-wide modifier screens of disease-relevant cell biology in patient-derived cells. We use biochemistry, biophysics and cell biology to test mechanistic hypotheses
generated by our functional genomics platform.

 
Current Projects

We have many possible projects addressing our major research questions:

• What are the mechanisms by which disease-associated genetic variants cause brain diseases?

• What controls protein aggregation in neurons, and why is it toxic?

• How is dysfunction of different cellular processes (neuronal activity, protein homeostasis,
autophagy, endolysosomal trafficking, mitochondria) coupled in neurodegeneration?

• Which molecular mechanisms underlie the selective vulnerability of specific subtypes of neurons
to stress and disease?

• What controls beneficial and toxic functions of astrocytes and microglia in disease?

In addition, we have projects in technology development and computation
• In-vivo CRISPR screening

• High-content / multi-modality screening

• Machine learning to understand mapping between different high-dimensional phenotypes (e.g. neuronal activity, transcriptomics, morphology)


Lastly, we always welcome new students and postdocs to propose their own ideas for projects.

Lab Members

Nabeela Ariqat (Staff Research Associate)
Giovanni Aviles (Staff Research Associate)
Steven Boggess, PhD (Postdoc)
Merissa Chen (Staff Research Associate)
Brandon Desousa (Graduate student, joint with Jain lab)
Gary Dixon, PhD (Postdoc)
Nina Dräger, PhD (Postdoc)
Vaidehi Gandhi (Staff Research Associate)

Parker Grosjean (Graduate student, joint with Keiser lab)
Xiaoyan Guo, PhD (Postdoc)
Martin Kampmann (PI)
Sarah Kaufman, MD PhD (Neurology Resident/Postdoc)
Lydia Lee (Lab assistant)
Jaime Leong (Lab manager)
Emmy Li (Graduate student)
Amanda McQuade (Postdoc)
Greg Mohl (Graduate student)

Andrew Pan (Staff Research Associate)
Gokul Ramadoss (Graduate student, joint with Conklin lab)
Biswa Ramani, MD, PhD (Postdoc)
Indigo Rose (Graduate student)
Avi Samelson, PhD (Postdoc)
Olivia Teter (Graduate student)
Noam Teyssier (Graduate student, joint with Goodarzi lab)
Lin Yadanar (Lab assistant, joint with Mordes lab)

Lab Website

 

Academic community service and committee membership:

Faculty Search Committee, Department of Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, Co-chair, Admissions Committee, UCSF Tetrad Graduate Program, BBC Graduate Programs Seminar Committee, Biophysics Program Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group, Biophysics Program Award Committee, Faculty Advisor to the UCSF Graduate & Postdoc Queer Alliance

Publications: